Everchanging Possibilities
by Urias Invictus
Summary: What if Annabeth died in the end of TLO. What if Percy went to be with the Romans a little early. What if they didn't accept him right away, but made him prove himself. What if his lack of involvement in the Giant War led to a different outcome. Throw in a little bit of Chaos and the primordials, and what do you get. Well you will just have to find out.
1. Chapter 1: A Turn for the Worse

Chapter One: A Turn for the Worse

Kronos scythe fell again and it was all I could do to keep the blade away from my body. I felt my strength giving out when the Titan Lord kicked me in the chest.

Flying through the air, the back of my head smacked against my father's throne. A normally fatal blow just made my head swim for a second. I looked up to see Kronos slowly walking over. I'm done I thought, beginning to panic.

"Well, well, well Grandson, It seems the curse of Achilles saved you yet again," Kronos taunted swinging his scythe back and forth. "Worry not, I will find your heel eventually," he growled swinging the scythe down in a powerful arc, when "Luke, stop. I know you are in there," a very frightened Annabeth pleaded.

"The child Luke is dead," Kronos roared. "I am in control!" The Titan Lord's blade had stopped inches from my chest while Annabeth had been talking. With a roar the Titan lord spun and struck Annabeth with the butt of the scythe. Her body flew through the air, landing with a sickening crunch by the hearth.

Struggling, I got up raising Riptide to strike at the Titan Lord's back. The blade whistled through the air, but something made me slow at the last second. Luke, there had to be a way to save him.

The arcing blade stopped inches from Kronos' back. Gasping in surprise I thought maybe Kronos had frozen time again, but no, it was much worse. Kronos' hand had come around and gripped my wrist; effectively immobilizing my arm.

"Grandson, you need to learn something; don't let your feelings get in the way during a battle," Kronos laughed hurling me across the room. "Sadly though, your time is up," the Titan taunted, beginning to glow a harsh golden color.

"No," I tried to shout, but Annabeth leapt at the Titan Lord. "Luke stop this now!"

"Luke is dead!" Kronos roared smacking her with the back of his hand. She screamed as her jaw shattered. I tried to get up and attack again, but Kronos froze time again.

Her jaw broken, blood streaming down her face, Annabeth looked into Luke's eyes. "You promised," she started to cry.

"Annabeth. Aghhh," Luke's head snapped up and his eyes started to flicker blue then gold then blue again. After a brief facial battle, Luke's blue eyes returned. "I don't know how long I can hold him at bay."

He reached down and grasped the side of his armor. Sliding it aside he pointed at a small spot in-between his third and fourth ribs. "Percy, give me your blade," Luke gasped out.

Shaking my head I started towards the fallen traitor. I couldn't give him my sword and leave myself defenseless; it was probably just a ploy to get me unarmed. I positioned the blade to stab Luke's Achilles spot, but again something stopped me.

'There had to be a way to save my friend,' I thought. 'No, to save the world.' thrusting the blade downwards I let my eyes drift closed, but sound of Luke screaming never came. I opened my eyes again and almost screamed in rage. There, on the floor, was Kronos staring right back into my eyes. The golden pits glistened mockingly.

"Did you not learn anything from our previous lesson, Grandson," the Titan Lord taunted. Standing he looked around, "You have no chance, Demigod. Here witness," he said waving his hand. An iris-message-like image appeared. The giant figure of The father of all monsters stomped its way through New Jersey. The gods flew around his head peppering him with arrows, lightning, and blasts of energy. Until Zeus threw his master bolt and the world exploded, but the father of monsters just stumbled; right into the Hudson River.

Conch horns blew and a confused Kronos roared in rage as Poseidon and his armies arrived. Typhon went down under the shackles and Kronos slashed through the image. Thanks dad, I thought.

"No matter half-blood, it's time," Kronos said as he started glowing.

Savoring his victory, Kronos didn't notice Annabeth until it was almost too late. Her blade stopped inches from his body. Tut-ing like he was reprimanding a naughty child, the Titan Lord took the blade and drove it into her chest, right above her heart. For a moment she just stood there, frozen in time. This couldn't be happening, I thought. She stared into Kronos' eyes before time resumed and her body slumped to the floor.

Screaming, I tore free of Kronos' spell and launched myself at him. Logic and skill faded out, replaced by the need for revenge. My blows rained down on the Titan Lord, but none reached his body.

I cursed as Kronos threw me back once more, there was nothing I could do. Yet something in his facial expression changed; as if a battle for control over the host was being taken. Finally Luke's eyes returned.

"Annabeth," he screamed running to her side. Released from the Lord of Time's hold, I rushed to where Annabeth lay dying.

"Did...did you love me," Luke asked, clutching her fading grip.

"Yes, more than anything, I loved you so much. I wanted to save you so we could be together, but it looks like I failed. I.." she coughed up more blood before continuing. "I'm sorry Percy. I'm sorry that I never loved you, that I led you on for so long. I needed someone to replace Luke, but I...I am sorry," she ended as her eyes glazed over.

Luke and I gazed at each other for a moment before Luke snatched the blade from the floor next to Annabeth's corpse and plunged it into his side. Luke screamed in agony as the blade pierced his Achilles spot. His roar turned deeper and more ancient after a few seconds.

Kronos blinked a few times, "You think you have won, Grandson, but I have a present for you demigod." He waved his hand and an image appeared of the street below. Hades was stalking through the streets laying waste to monsters in his path. The undead were finishing off the remaining monsters when something to the side drew my attention. Nico, backed against a wall held off four giants and a blonde haired man holding a bright ball of light. I watched in horror as a giant smacked Nico towards a shadow, but before the young demigod could dive into it, the man threw the ball of light illuminating the shadow. Nico landed on the ground, clearly unconscious. Then something drew my attention once more. Standing at the end of the street stood two figures holding hands, shoulders pressed together. I watched as the giants stepped forward as the man sent a ball of light toward the two. I gasped, it was my mom and Paul. I started to turn away, but the image followed me. The giants reached them, but they never let go of each other's hands until the end.

"All this will be in vain hero, for the end is coming," a gravely voice brought me back. Kronos. The fucker had taken everything from me, my mom, my soon to be stepdad, my friends and my girlfriend. Well, she never loved me, I told myself as the body of Luke began to glow, brighter and brighter, but I couldn't turn away. My eyes began to burn and they forced themselves closed. I howled at the sky in agony, for the pain, for my mother, for the fallen.

After an undetermined amount of time I heard a loud bang and turned towards it raising Riptide. I opened my eyes, but there was just darkness. "Hades am I dead," I asked out loud beginning to panic.

A laugh came from the left, "No, Nephew. But would you mind explaining what happened here."

I turned towards the voice and heard a series of gasps.

"Percy," I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. The faint smell of the sea entered my mind and I knew who it was.

"Dad," I started to say, but he cut me off. "Apollo, can you come heal Percy's vision."

I felt the hand leave my shoulder and a new set of hands touch my face. The hands were soft, like they had never seen a day's work in their lives, but the fingertips were rough and calloused; the telltale sign of a guitar player or musician.

Apollo started to speak in Ancient Greek, but the meaning was lost on me. All I could think about was Annabeth's betrayal and the loss of my mother.

I was jerked back into reality as Apollo asked me if I agreed. I had tuned out the world and Apollo's question. "Sorry, I missed the question,"

"It's ok Percy. You've been through a lot, but I need you to listen. You looked at Kronos as he died, you saw a brief glimpse of his true form. This should have killed you, but the blessing of Achilles saved you; leaving you alive, but blinded. I can heal your eyes, but you will have to give up Achilles Blessing to fuel the healing. Is this what you want?"

I stood dumbfounded, Blind, I couldn't be blind; but I knew he was right. "Yes, Apollo. Do it."

Apollo began to speak in Ancient Greek again and a tingling sensation started in my toes and rose up my body. The sensation reached my eyes and Apollo stumbled back exhausted.

I blinked my eyes a few times, and the horrors of the throne room came into focus.

I tore my gaze away from the destruction and turned to see the Olympians standing in shining battle armor, their weapons out looking around for an enemy "Father, Lord Zeus, we need two shrouds for fallen heroes. A son of Hermes and a daughter of Athena," I said before I turned to Hermes and then Athena. Hermes had an expression of gratitude and sadness on his face, while Athena's face was a mask of disgust suppressing sadness. She met my eyes and glared at me. I had lost her daughter, but then I remembered that she never loved me. I'll have to explain that to Athena one day.

I turned back to my father and met him in the proffered hug. "You've done well Percy. I am proud of you."

Poseidon released me and we stood together, just sharing a brief bit of peace. I was still too shocked by the events for them to sink in, and when Zeus called for the meeting to begin I zoned out for a few minutes.

"PERCY JACKSON!" Poseidon boomed. Shit, I had missed Thalia, Tyson, and Grover's rewards; I berated myself silently before starting to get up.

"Well, come forward boy," Zeus called. "Let's get to it. For acts of bravery, courage, and loyalty to the gods, we, the council, will grant you, Percy Jackson, godhood." I was speechless, a god, me? Immortal? My thoughts turned to Thalia and Grover, as they stood staring at me nodding. I turned to the gods and saw several nodding approval, Apollo gave me a thumbs up, and Ares face split into a vicious grin. I looked around the room and my thoughts turned to the fallen campers, my friends. My mom, they were all dead. I would never see them again if I was immortal. I thought of the fallen demigods in Kronos' service and I knew what my decision would be.

"No."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO? YOU REJECT OUR GIFT," Zeus roared as several Olympians began glaring at me.

"No, I don't want to be immortal, but I still would like a gift from the gods. It's not even a big gift, it just requires a little effort," and so I spent the next several minutes explaining about how all demigods must be claimed before they turned 14, and how there must be new cabins built, and that the peaceful Titan kind, like Calypso, must be released. The gods just sat and listened as I spoke and a few nods of approval and understanding were given.

When it was put up to a vote by the gods, they all agreed and then swore upon the Styx. Zeus ended the meeting and the partying began. Several Olympians came to me and offered congratulations and words of support, but most were focused on partying and repairing the throne room. I turned from speaking to a distressed Apollo, who had a look of fear at having to claim all his children, and met a cold grey eyed Athena.

"Percy Jackson," she said with a more than obvious hint of distaste in her voice. "It seems I was correct. You could not save the world and your friends."

"Lady Athena, I am sorry. If I could go back I would sacrifice myself for her," even if she did betray me in the end, I thought bitterly.

"You cost me my daughter Percy Jackson. For that you have earned my distaste," Athena said, bursting into flames and igniting my shirt. I cursed and swatted at my shirt as the flames seared my flesh, until a cold wave of water washed over me; putting out the fire and healing the burns. I turned to an approaching Poseidon.

"Athena will get over it son," Poseidon said, patting me on the shoulder. Looking up into his face I almost burst into tears. "Dad, she's dead," I said.

"I know son, but there will be others. I'm just sorry it had to end this way."

"No dad, Mom's dead." I said. The words had barely left my mouth when I was crushed in an embrace, "How, how did it happen," Poseidon asked, pain creeping into his voice.

"Kronos showed me, I saw them die dad. I saw them."

"Kronos could have lied son," a hint of hope in his voice. "Hades, could you come here my brother," he called across the room to a Hades kneeling next to his unconscious son.

Hades approached, guessing what it was about, and his face fell. "I'm sorry Percy, brother. I was going to tell you after the party." Hades said softly. "I made sure they both were put into Elysium straight away."

Poseidon grabbed me in a hug and we shared a moment of sorrow. After a few minutes, Poseidon said something about looking at his destroyed palace, and he disappeared in a fine sea mist. Hades apologized once more and went back to his son, leaving me to my thoughts. I turned and left the party, returning to the throne room and sitting at the hearth.

After a few minutes a nine year old sat down next to me. "Lady Hestia, what brings you here," I asked.

"You," she said soothingly, embracing me as I stared into the burning coals. I sat like that for a moment before turning and facing her. Her flaming eyes stared right at me, full of sympathy.

I sat there for a few moments before I my eyes began to drift closed.

"Rest Percy, you have a big day and many choices to make tomorrow," she said smoothing my hair as I drifted off at the foot of the hearth.

* * *

AN: Well I am new to the story business, but I think I can create a semi-not crappy story (or at least I hope.) I would like to thank Anaklusmos14 for being awesome and helping me with Ideas, Spelling checks, and Grammar checks and overall just making my work readable. If you don't already know about his stuff, go check him out. He already has several stories finished (and they are awesome. He has storys over a range of different ideas with awesome parings) and a character-reading story on one of his finished stories (its extremely well done and is awesome) Seriously; go check him out.

I would also like to thank You are right ... Not for being awesome and helping me brainstorm some ideas. The first three chapters are done before I started talking to him, but after chapter three you should see some awesome ideas, some of which are mine and some of which will be built with his help.

This is like a short teaser cause I couldn't really get into the action in this chapter, so it is only 2k. Chapter two and onwards will be longer anywhere up to 15k words. Depending on if you all like the story so far, I will keep posting chapter weekly. Chapters two and three might be up by sunday or monday depending on if people read and want more.

-Invictus


	2. Chapter 2: When Romans Get Angry

Beginning of Chapter 2...?

The moon glared down upon the stone and mud structures. The village was beautiful, yet something was wrong. Even at this time of night there would be a little noise, but the entire town was deathly silent.

Out of the alleys several shapes began to drift toward a house set in the side of a hill. The shapes stopped twelve or so feet away and seemed to disappear at one of the nearby buildings.

The dark figures stepped from their various shadows and grouped together. After the exchange of several hand signals, they began advancing on the house again. They crossed the final street silently and split into two groups. One went around the side while the second approached the front door.

One of the figures went to the door, slinging its weapon under its arm; around its back as the other two leveled their weapons at the door. The figure bent down and opened a small wallet sized set of picks and began to work on the door. After a few moments the figure put the picks away and unslung its weapon. Raising a hand, the figure gripped the handle of the now unlocked door and opened it slowly. The other two figures readied behind the first and they went in.

The street remained silent as they entered the building, sweeping their zones as they went. The room they were in held two exits, the group moved towards the door on the left and swung it open. They were met by several weapons being leveled at them.

A few hand signals exchanged with the group that had gone around the side, and they merged together into one group as they went for the unopened door behind them.

The lead figure laid its hand on the door and looked back at the others for support. They were all nervous about what lay beyond, but they had been hunting their target for too long. Receiving a few nods of assurance, the lead figure started to push the door, but it exploded off its hinges.

The beast launched off the door and flew towards the group, its talons outstretched. The monster made it a few feet towards the group before several crossbow bolts thudded into it. The monster went down and one of the figures stepped up, slinging its crossbow under a shoulder and pulled a sword out of what seemed like thin air.

The figure walked over and raised the blade, but the monster lashed out knocking off the figure's hood. "I know THAT SMELL!" it screeched. "You have the blood of Medusa and my other sister on you, half-blood. Neither has yet to reform." The monster spat, slashing at the figure before more quarrels thudded into it.

The figure glared down at the monster pinned to the floor by several crossbow bolts. "You have killed this village, and many like it. For this deed, I sentence you to return to Tartarus." The figure said through its half mask. Raising the blade once more, the figure brought it down in a swift strike; the freed head rolled away before the monster dissolved into dust.

The figure sighed and turned back to the group. "Let's pack it up," he said pulling his hood back over his jet black hair. "Nikolai, Jacob, go search the rest of the house for anything useful. When you're done, we're out of here; this place creeps me out."

A few chuckles came from the group. "Yes Sir," one of the hooded figures said as he walked through the doorway into the room the gorgon had been hiding in. One of the hooded figures was helping the demigod that had been thrown by the door while the other turned and went through the doorway.

The leader sighed and checked his watch. The time read around midnight, but the figure was looking at the date. "Two more days," he muttered.

The figure tending to the wounded soldier heard this and looked up. "It's ok, there's only two more days."

"Sir, we've got a half-blood in here, but she won't come to us," a voice called from the other room.

The leader sighed, as if things couldn't get any worse. "Thanks Nikolai, on my way." He turned and started towards the door. "Cal, come on."

They entered the low ceiling room and took in the destruction caused by the gorgon. The room had been torn apart, the table and its contents strewn across the floor. Crouched at the other end of the room were the hooded figures of Nikolai and Jacob. They were trying to coax a young, wild-haired Middle Eastern girl out from the crack in the wall she was cowering in.

"No! Bad men stay away!"

Normally the hooded figure would have worried about the language difference, but the group's ear pieces acted as universal translators.

"Jacob, Nick, go in the other room." The leader sat cross-legged on the floor five feet away from the scared girl. He reached up and pushed back his hood.

He freed his jet black hair. "It's okay. None of us are going to hurt you," he said.

The girl did not come forward from her hiding place. In fact she cowered further into her hole.

The man nodded at this and scooted further away, leaving a good seven feet between them. The other figure that had come in, Cal, sat down a little closer. The reached back and freed its hood, shaking long caramel-colored hair out of the confines.

The now hoodless girl reached up and pulled down her half mask. She smiled at the cowering youth and put out her arms.

At the sight of a fellow female, and one with such soft almond eyes; brought the girl shooting out of her hiding place and into the arms of the sitting girl.

The young Middle Eastern girl was bawling into the girl Cal's shoulder. "The bad men hurt me, and the witch woman killed them, but she tried to eat me," the girl sobbed. Cal started petting the girl's hair, whispering calming words to the young girl.

The jet black haired teen decided to make the room a loupe more comfortable. He got up and went to the fire pit that was barely more than embers. He sent up a silent prayer to the goddess of the hearth and there was a bright flash. When the flash faded, there was a middle-aged Middle Eastern woman sitting next to a now cozy hearth.

The woman smiled at the black haired teen. "I haven't heard from you in a long time," the woman said, pulling the boy into a tight embrace.

"I am sorry Lady Hestia. I have been elsewhere," the teen said.

The woman just smiled and pulled back. She started to ask why he had called her when she heard the crying. She turned to the crying girl and sat by the hearth.

"Come here child, no one will hurt you."

The girl's head shot up at the voice. The girl scrambled out of the caramel haired girls lap, and rushed to the woman.

"Grandma, is it really you," the girl cried.

"Yes, and I am sorry I haven't come to see you in a long time, but now I am here. Why don't you talk to the young man here? He has some things to tell you."

The girl had stopped crying, but was clutching Hestia tight. "Bad men are scary," she said not looking at the dark haired teen.

"This one would never hurt you," Hestia said, giving the girl a squeeze.

The girl nodded and turned towards the teen. The teen smiled and sat on the hearth a few feet away. "I'm Percy, and you don't have to worry about being hurt by any of us."

The girl nodded again and continued to sit on Hestia's lap.

Over the course of the next hour the group talked. Percy explained about how she was a half-blood, that her father was a god, and that she would be safe. And the girl had in turn told them about the horror she had experienced in the past two weeks. Her village had been invaded by bad men who had killed almost everyone. She had hid for the first few days, but she came out to get food and she had been caught like the others. The next few minutes had turned everyone's blood to ice and the girl had started crying. Hestia and the girl, Cal, comforted her while Percy shook in rage.

After a few minutes he repressed his anger and smiled at the girl. After a few more minutes the girl finished her story about the gorgon coming and killing the men, then chasing her. They had comforted the girl and explained again how no one would hurt her.

Percy looked down at his watch and read 11:45. He had a quick talk with Hestia and they whisked each other goodbye. After Hestia disappeared Percy turned to back to the girl, who they had founds name was Anita, and smiled. "Alright, we are going to take you to a safe place" he said, but she had already fallen asleep. Percy smiled and signaled Cal that they would be staying for a while. He sat down next to the hearth and he soon felt a small figure crawl close. Anita fell back asleep with her head nestled on Percy's thigh.

He smiled and stroked the young girl's hair as the caramel haired girl came and sat near him. "Two more days Cal," he said softly as she leaned into the warmth of the hearth and fell asleep too.

Percy grinned and stroked Anita's matted hair. "Guys we'll be here a little while longer. Go scout around if you want," he said activating his earpiece. They confirmed they had heard and he leaned his head on top of Calypso's; thinking back to the last time he had seen Hestia.

{{Three years ago}}

Percy groaned rolling over he looked around. He was at the hearth in the throne room on Olympus. As he looked around the room the memories of the previous day returned, saddening the young demigod.

His sleep had been filled with dreams of the faces of those he had lost and killed. He had not slept well that night, something that as a demigod he was used to.

Why did this happen, he thought? What did I do to deserve this?

He allowed for a minute more of self sympathy before he remembered what Hestia had said, "You have many choices to make tomorrow."

He stood up and stretched. The throne room still showed some signs of the recent battle, but the damaged thrones had been repaired. As Percy looked upon the gods' seats of power he tried not to remember what had happened the day before, instead he directed his thoughts to the thrones. Most bore elaborate designs of that gods' fields. Poseidon's was a fishing chair with green stitched waves rolling over the chair. As he looked Percy noticed that the waves were moving, constantly crashing together and rolling over the chair. The shadows of shapes moved under the waves, yet Percy had no idea how it was possible considering they were just stitches.

Percy turned to the other gods' thrones and felt at peace as he watched the shifting scenes of their domains. His thoughts turned to his mother and Paul. Who was it that had killed them? He wondered. The giants had been killed, but no one could find the blonde haired man.

He was brought out of his misery when he noticed a soft hand on his shoulder. Turning he met the gaze of Hestia. "Percy, the Olympians will be holding a council in a few hours. My brother asked me to tell you that his palace on Olympus is open to you."

"Thank you Aunt Hestia," Percy said deciding he would go find his dad's palace and get cleaned up before the council meeting. Percy left Hestia at the hearth after promising that he would remember to call on her should he ever want to talk.

As he walked through the streets of Olympus he thought about the choices he had before him, and by the time he arrived at his father's palace he had decided what he would do.

He almost gasped when he beheld his father's palace. It was beautiful, made of sea green blocks of stone with beautiful plants, native to the most beautiful parts of the seas, planted all around the palace, but what made it for Percy was the fact that the entire palace was encased in a dome of water.

The palace was underwater, which would give him the privacy from others, something that only the peace of being underwater could give.

Percy sent silent thanks to Poseidon as he stepped up to the edge of the water. I hope it doesn't pop when I walk into it, he thought.

The water cascaded around his body as he stepped through. When he was past the edge he looked back. Olympus and the other palaces looked so much better from underwater, he thought.

He propelled himself through the water and to the palace doors. With a motion of his hand the doors swung open, admitting him to the beautiful palace of his father. The walls were lined with coral and plants from deep under the sea. The room was filled with living, glowing coral in the place if chandeliers and light fixtures.

Percy propelled himself forward, setting out to explore the palace, but a movement to his left stopped him. He thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out riptide in pen form.

The pack of reef sharks ignored the pen in his hand and one swam forward a few feet. "Master Perseus, your father sends his greetings," a slightly growly voice spoke in his mind. "I am Brightfin, steward of your father's palace here on Olympus."

Percy got over his shock of not being attacked and berated himself for forgetting be could speak to all creatures under the sea, including sharks.

"Nice to meet you Brightfin," Percy said putting his pen away and deciding not to make an awkward situation by sticking out his hand to shake.

The reef shark stayed where it was and spoke again. "The showers are down that way, they should be self-explanatory," Brightfin said flicking a fin towards a hallway. "One of the sharks here will bring you the new set of clothes that just arrived."

"Alright, yeah. Thanks man er...shark," Percy finished awkwardly. The sharks began making an odd growling noise that worried Percy. He wondered if he had pissed them off, but then he realized that they were laughing. "Enjoy you shower master Perseus," Brightfin said as he swam in the opposite direction.

Percy chuckled to himself as he propelled himself towards the showers. He went through a doorway and encountered a puzzle.

He was underwater, how on earth was he supposed to take a shower. He looked around the room he was in and saw a drain in the floor and one on the ceiling. He wondered what the one on the ceiling was. He continued looking around and saw the button on the wall next to the doorway. He leaned over and hit the button. When nothing happened he started towards the door to go ask Brightfin how to work the shower. As he moved, a door slid up from a hidden panel in the ground; sealing him in.

He panicked for a second as the water started draining from the room. Then it hit him, the shower room was like an airlock, it would drain the water from the room so he could take a shower and then it would fill backup so not to disturb the amount of water in the dome.

Percy smiled to himself at being able to figure that out. He grunted before coming back to reality to take a shower. When he had finished he hit the button again and waited for the room to fill back up. The door slid down and Percy swam out into the small changing room where a new set of clothes were waiting for him. The clothes were soaked from being in the water, but at Percy's touch they instantly dried.

He put on the dark green short-sleeve t-shirt and grabbed the pair of dark khaki pants. He reached in his pocket and sure enough there was Riptide. He smiled and reached for a small package next to the clothes. The note said, "Thanks for saving Luke's soul, -H" Percy read the note and gave a ragged grin before he opened the case. There, lying in the molded felt was the ring that Annabeth wore around her neck.

He thought about how she had never loved him, but he was still sad about her death. A memento to a happier time, he thought. Sliding the ring out of the felt, he took off his Camp Half Blood necklace and slid the ring on.

He looked at the torn and destroyed clothes at his feet. He looked around and found a chute in the wall. He tossed the clothes into the chute and went to thank Brightfin. After making small talk with the staff, Percy left his father's palace.

He walked down on the street of Olympus taking in the damage caused by Kronos. Remembering what he was about to do, his good mood disappeared.

He reached the throne room and paused. Taking a deep breath he pushed open the doors. Most of the Olympians were already there, but a few were still missing. Shrugging, he took a seat next to the hearth and waited for the council to begin.

The remaining gods slowly appeared in the room and took their seats. Zeus started the meeting, rambling on about the plans to fix Olympus. Athena enlisted the help of her children to design the new Olympus.

After the talk about the new additions to camp was out of the way, Zeus closed the meeting and all the gods except Zeus and Hera left. Percy got up from his seat at the hearth and kneeled before Zeus.

"Lord Zeus, I would like to ask you a favor."

"What, do you want us to start spending time with our children now?" Zeus asked sarcastically.

Percy shook his head and grinned. "No, but that's actually a good idea. You should think about that."

His smile faded and he continued. "But no. I am here to ask you if I could leave camp. There are too many memories there."

Zeus started to respond when Hera stepped in. "Husband, perhaps we could send him to...you know...the romans," she said, mumbling the last part.

Zeus started to yell, but Hera laid her hand on his arm. "I think this might work. Remember what Apollo's Oracle saw and my own theory is on it."

Zeus considered the choices for a moment. He sat up a little bit on his throne "My love, could you go get Lady Lupa?"

Hera nodded and flashed out. Percy just stood there through the entire exchange trying to understand. Why would he want to go to Rome? He considered asking what was going on when Hera appeared with a wolf the size of a small hellhound.

Zeus raised his hand and he and his wife blurred for a moment. When they came back into focus, he was wearing a toga and she was wearing some skirt thing. They were both larger and had stricter facial expressions.

Zeus grinned down at a confused Percy. "Ahh, Young Perseus, as you can see we are Roman gods." He said making Percy even more confused.

Hera eventually took pity on the confused demigod and explained about the roman camp and the gods' aspects. "...and the Roman campers are taught by Lupa, just like; well no, totally differently than Chiron."

Percy absorbed all this information. "So am I supposed to train with this Lupa, whenever she shows up," he asked.

The wolf beside Hera, or Juno, growled and leapt at him. He started to reach for Riptide, but his hand had barely reached his pocket when the wolf was upon him.

He started to struggle when a voice entered his mind.

"Quiet Pup, that is your one warning because you didn't know. Next time, I will kick your ass," the wolf growled. "You will learn respect."

Percy stared at the wolf on top of him before it struck him. Lupa, Lupine, he knew what that meant. "I apologize Lady Lupa," Percy said bowing his head to the wolf.

With a growl, Lupa released the boy and started to glow. When the light subsided, in her place stood a beautiful woman with overly large canines. She turned to Zeus and paused.

"I'll accept this boy, but the camp may not," she said with a surprisingly soft voice, for a wolf.

Hera and Zeus conversed mentally for a few moments and after a few nods, agreed to send Percy to the camp.

The two flashed out; leaving Percy and Lupa alone.

"Listen close pup, the Romans aren't like their puny Greek counterparts. You have to earn their trust," Lupa said.

Percy began wondering if this was such a good idea, but Lupa grabbed his arm, flashing them to the Roman camp.

Shaking her head, Lupa walked towards the guards at the entrance to a tunnel.

"Halt, Identify yourselves," one of the guards hollered.

Lupa stepped closer and they dropped to their knees. "Lady Lupa, we didn't see it was you.

"It's ok children. It is good that you are guarding Rome."

"What brings you to camp my lady, and with a demigod no less," the guard on the left asked.

As Lupa explained something about how he had been working for the gods, and something about the Labyrinth; Percy took the time to size up the two guards. The guard on the left was a fairly large boy, he wore a set of medium armor and had a bow slung over his back. Percy wasn't very worried about him, but the guard on the right made him hesitate. Even though she looked to be only 13, she wore a long Calvary sword in a hanging sheath about halfway up her side. Normally he wouldn't worry about such a weapon on a non-mounted fighter, but the girl seemed to know how to use it.

Percy was snapped out if his examination when Lupa called to him, something about being lazy and not very Roman. The two guards stepped to the sides and allowed them to pass. He hurried a few paces to catch up to Lupa.

They walked through the tunnel and emerged next to a river. Percy gasped as he took in the valley around him. On the far side there was a city. Its streets bustled with merchants, children, and adults all going around with their daily lives. In front of the city was an armed encampment where warriors were training, blacksmiths were making weapons, and more chores were being done. All around this encampment were wooden watchtowers, guarded and armed with large crossbows.

"The Little Tiber," Lupa said. Wading across to the river Lupa got extremely wet, whilst Percy remains perfectly dry. When they were halfway across the river horns were sounded and all up the line of towers the mounted crossbows swiveled towards them. The gates to the encampment opened and out streamed eight fully armed Romans. Lupa ignored them and reached the other bank. She stepped onto the bank and stumbled over a rock; Percy lunged forward and caught her arm out of reflex. She started to growl and pulled from his grip.

The Romans rushed past her and the leader attacked him. Percy barely had time to draw Riptide and block the downward blow. The other guards rushed forward and Percy began to worry, since he no longer held the blessing of Achilles so these Romans would tear him apart just because of sheer numbers. His attackers pressed him back. He dodged a thrust from a spear and blocked a strike from the leader. Percy smacked a few of them back and raised his other arm. The Little Tiber responded to him and tentacles of water flew out and started blocking their attacks.

The battle raged on. He took two blows, a cut across the shoulder and a small puncture wound to his arm. He realized he could not win this fight without maiming the others, so he stopped hitting with the flat of his blade. He took several steps back and flicked his arm at the river. The water receded into the river and Percy let the blade drop from his hand.

The leader of the patrol started forward to execute him, but before he could strike a figure stepped out of the camp. The girl wore a purple cape with the letters SPQR in gold. She walked forward and the patrol leader lowered his weapon.

Following the girl were two others, a skinny blonde boy and a legionnaire ghost. The ghost looked at Percy and narrowed his eyes.

"Graecus," the ghost spat. The skinny boy widened his eyes and started whispering with the ghost. The girl looked back, clearly annoyed and raised her hand causing them to fall silent, albeit unwillingly.

"Who are you prisoner?" She said her hand dropping to a dagger sheathed across her waist.

At this Lupa stepped forward. "His name is Perseus Jackson, and why was the demigod I was escorting attacked," she growled rounding on the patrol.

Their leader cowered before the mother of Rome. "W..we saw him attack you Lady Lupa." the boy continued to cower.

Lupa glared at him for a moment, before speaking again. "I tripped; he stopped me from falling you fool. You are just lucky he didn't actually fight you fools or the praetor would have had to execute him."

The boy stumbled over himself spewing apologies. Lupa glared at him for a moment then looked back at the girl with the purple cloak.

Percy had been watching the girl, he could almost swear that he knew her, but couldn't put his finger on it. When Lupa had said his name, the girl had flinched. She definitely knew him, but from where. He would have to ask her later.

The girl was glaring at him and he realized he had missed something.

"I said come with me boy," the girl repeated irritated.

Percy nodded and followed the girl. One of the patrols said something about getting his sword, but when they looked his sword had disappeared. Percy felt the familiar weight of his pen in his pocket and allowed himself a slight smile.

Percy, the girl, the blonde boy, the ghost, and Lupa walked into the camp and towards the Principia.

They stopped at a stand selling some sort of meat because Lupa was hungry. Percy watched as the blonde boy walked over to a brown haired girl standing nearby. At first Percy thought she must have been his girlfriend because the boy stroked her hair, but she smacked his hand away. The boy said something to her and the color drained from the girls face. The blonde boy chuckled and stroked her hair again, causing shivers of repressed fury and revulsion to travel down the girl's body. Percy had heard the boy say "...And I'll tell them your little secret." The blonde boy was clearly blackmailing the girl, and Percy decided he would do something about it.

He walked over and grabbed the boy's shoulder. "Leave her alone," he growled in a low voice. The boy took a few steps back.

"Be careful Graecus, you don't know who you are messing with."

Percy ignored him and the boy brushed past him. Percy turned towards the girl. She was beautiful. She had caramel hair and a beautiful coppery skin color. Percy thought she looked quite familiar, but his thoughts were cut short when the girl threw her arms around him.

"Perseus Jackson," she purred. "Thank you, hero."

Percy knew that voice. "Calypso," he gasped, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," she said pulling back, holding him at arm's length. "I am free from my prison, thanks to you. And so I came to America to explore the cities that you talked about. I found one, but monsters found me and I was forced to run. Luckily I came across a patrol of demigods and they brought me here."

Percy stared at her for a moment. "Yeah, well, when we saved Olympus everyone I loved died, so I couldn't bear to return to camp. So the gods sent me here." Percy smiled at her, but his face fell as he remembered the blonde boy. "What did that boy say to you," he growled.

Her face fell, "That's Octavian, the Augur of the camp. He knows about my father, and is threatening to tell the camp if I don't do as he says," she said shivering.

Percy's face morphed into rage. He started to pull riptide from his pocket but stopped when Calypso laid her hand on his.

"No, don't do that hero," she pleaded softly. "It will only make things worse."

Percy sighed, but pulled his hand from his pocket. Calypso kept her hand on his for a moment more then released him. She started to say something else, but frowned over his shoulder. Percy turned around to see Octavian glaring at them. Octavian gave her a smirk and mouthed, "I warned you." Percy started to reach for Riptide again, but Calypso stopped him again.

"It was lovely to see you Percy, but I fear that I will not be able to stay here much longer," she said sadly looking at Octavian who had turned and followed the ghost.

"I promise you won't get hurt," Percy said. He started to say more, but the girl in the purple cloak called out to him.

"Hurry up boy, we are going!"

Percy gave Calypso a smile and ran to catch up. They reached the Principia and went in. Percy was told to wait as Lupa and the girl spoke quietly. The girl nodded and Lupa flashed away.

"Well Perseus Jackson, it looks like you are well liked by Lupa. But don't think that you will be accepted here." Finished, the girl turned and called to Octavian. Octavian said something, the ghost nodded and left.

"Yes oh great praetor," Octavian said sarcastically, coming to stand by them.

Reyna glared at him before turning to Percy. "Let's begin. You already have two strikes in my book. One you should remember, two you attacked my people," Percy started to argue but the silver and gold greyhounds that came into the room started to growl at him. The girl turned towards Octavian, "What do the auguries say?"

"They say he is a powerful demigod, a Greek, a son of Neptune," Octavian said glancing at the metal dogs. Reyna nodded, reaching for her dagger.

"I would kill you here and now, but my counterpart is on a patrol and I won't make a decision before he returns. Although Lupa and the Olympians have vouched for you, you should be very careful." With that she turned and left the room, dogs in tow.

Percy rounded on Octavian, "Listen close slime, you ever touch Calypso again and I will beat the shit out of you."

Octavian's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare touch me," he scoffed. Percy reached over and grabbed his toga.

"I will," he said through gritted teeth.

"Well then. Reyna!"

Percy released him and took a step back. Octavian glared at him. Reyna came back into the room without the dogs.

"I just had a vision, that girl that came in with the patrol. She is spawn of a titan. None other than Atlas himself."

Reyna gasped at this, a Titan in the camp. She started to call for guards, but Octavian wasn't finished.

"And you saw how the Greek and she acted," he said flicking his hand in Percy's direction. "They are spies," he said disdainfully.

Reyna glared at him, she clearly hated Octavian, but she seemed to hate Percy even more.

Percy started to speak up in his defense, but a motion at the door stopped him. In walked a very tired looking demigod with a purple cape. He tossed his sword towards a table, it spun end over end and transformed into a coin, landing on the table and spinning to a stop.

Reyna looked at the new arrival and her gaze softened. She likes him, Percy thought. He moved on his foot and she snapped her head around to glare at him again.

"Octavian, get out," she said. He started to protest but she gripped her dagger. Nodding the boy turned and left. "And send in Hazel," she called. The demigod in the cape had walked down the hallway, leaving Percy with Reyna for a moment.

Soon one of the guards from the tunnel, the girl, walked in. "Praetor," she said bringing her fist over her chest in a Roman salute.

"Go get the girl that arrived yesterday, the pretty one, and bring her here," Reyna said. The girl, Hazel, saluted and left.

Reyna rounded on Percy once more. "As much as I hate Octavian, you need to pay for everything you did to me and my sister. You and that bitch daughter of Athena."

Percy was shocked at that outburst, what had he and Annabeth done to this girl. And then it hit him. "Circe's island, you were one of the attendants."

She glared at him and nodded. "Look I'm sorry, but I didn't do anything. Circe turned me into a guinea pig," Percy said apologetically.

"Nothing, NOTHING! YOU DESTROYED MY HOME AND LEFT US DEFENSELESS WITH THOSE PIGS OF MEN," she screamed at him. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT THEY DID TO US? HUH, DO YOU!"

Percy was shocked, they had unleashed pirates on the island and left. With Circe dead, the girls had indeed been defenseless. It made his blood boil when he thought about what the pirates must have done.

"I'm...I'm sorry, I didn't know. We didn't realize they would get the vitamins. I'm sorry if they hurt you, but that is Circe's fault not mine."

She glared at him and started to say something else, but the other Praetor returned, summoned by the yelling.

He looked between the two and the let his eyes rest on Percy. "What's wrong Reyna," the demigod asked Reyna, laying a hand on her shoulder.

She stopped glaring at Percy and turned to her fellow Praetor. "Nothing Jason, just dealing with a dangerous demigod."

Jason stared at Percy, something had made Reyna angry. "Alright, what's going on?"

Reyna glared at Percy and told Jason the entire story. Jason nodded and raised his eyebrows at Percy every now and then.

When Reyna finished her story Jason got up and collected his coin from the table, Percy started to worry that he might have to fight the Praetor.

Jason looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "Alright, so we have a problem. You've pissed off Reyna, you are pissing off the ghosts, and you've pissed off Octavian. Good job by the way. You are vouched for by Lupa and the gods, but you are also friends with the Titan. Way I see it there's only one thing to do."

Jason paused at that and started pacing. "It hasn't been done for years, but it might be time now."

Reyna stared at her counterpart, "What hasn't been done in years."

"A military sentence," he said causing Reyna to gasp.

Jason turned towards Percy. "You are officially sentenced to three years in special military service."

Reyna nodded, "Your sentence begins tomorrow, and tomorrow you will meet your fellow hunters."

Jason called behind him for a pair of guards to escort him to his cell. Jason turned back to Percy. "I hope you live, I feel like we could be good friends."

Percy was snapped out of his memory when his radio crackled. "Perce, we got company. There are several small figures stalking through the streets towards the house."

Percy groaned, "Got it Jacob, keep an eye on them. We're on our way out with Anita."

"Who?"

"The little girl."

"Course you got her to talk," Nikolai laughed over the radio.

"Shut up, Nick." Percy sighed. "Wake up you two," he said shaking Anita's arm. She bolted up, clearly scared, but Percy quickly pulled her into an embrace, whispering calming words to her. Calypso stretched and glared at him. "I was comfortable," she growled jokingly.

Percy sighed, "We've got inbound. Time to get back to work." He reached up and pulled up his half-mask and hood. He went from a good natured boy to a faceless being as shadows hid his sparkling green eyes from view.

Anita shrieked and stumbled back. Percy quickly knelt down. "It's ok Anita, it's still me and I would never hurt you," he said. She calmed down and smiled, "I know Percy."

He grinned and drew out a small dagger. He reversed it in his hand and handed the blade to the young girl. "Just in case. It's celestial bronze, so it will kill bad monsters like that witch."

She nodded and took the blade, a new power entering her eyes. The fear was dissipating and Percy saw this.

He turned to the now hooded Calypso and signaled to the door. She nodded and handed him his crossbow, a three and a half foot long beauty. The stock was made of a combination of wood and Plexiglas, while the arm in the front was made of a light weight metal. The string was a compound that was harvested from giant Arctic spiders and could withstand almost any conditions. Percy smiled beneath his half-mask and took the weapon, sure he sucked with a bow, but this was really easy to shoot even though he still preferred Riptide.

Together the small group went outside. As they emerged into the bare street, Percy looked up at the moon and it glared down at him.

Sighing he stepped up next to Nikolai who was staring down the street with his crossbow leveled at the approaching figures. Most were small, teenage sized. Their slight builds told him they were probably female and he groaned.

He tapped his ear piece and subvocalized, "Hunters," he said with a note of sadness in his voice. If the others picked up on it, they said nothing.

Percy looked down the street, the hunters were only a few buildings away, but he was already beginning to worry. This could get real bad, he thought.

Jacob and Nikolai were staring at the approaching hunters. The former with a little bit of fear and respect, but the latter's gaze only held loathing. Percy knew Nikolai had a problem with the hunters of Artemis, and he knew things could get ugly real fast if he wasn't careful.

The first of the hunters came around the first building, but Percy knew they were surrounded. He looked up at the sky, it was brightening, which meant Artemis was finished with her duty and would be returning to her hunters; he would have to get his group out of this fast, or things would turn bad.

He stepped forward into the street and started to say something when an arrow whipped into the earth in front of his feet.

"Drop your weapon and identify yourself," a female voice rang out.

Anita shrieked when the arrow had been shot at Percy, but had been cut off when Jacob put a hand over her mouth and whispered to be quiet. She glared at him, but that was the least of his worries. The second he put a hand on her, four hunters appeared a few feet away from the girl and leveled bows at him. "Release the girl or die, scum" one of the girls, Phoebe if Percy remembered correctly, ordered.

He stepped forward, but two arrows whistled past his head. He stopped in his tracks, but Nikolai and Calypso raised their crossbows at the two who fired. "Anita, it's okay." Percy called over his shoulder and the girl nodded. Jacob released her mouth and raised his crossbow.

Things were going to hell and Percy was worried. "Everyone calm down," he said.

"Shut your mouth boy," one of the hunters snapped. She wore a bracelet on her forearm and glared at him with piercing blue eyes. Shit, he thought. Shit shit shit. Things couldn't get any worse. Boy was he wrong.

The girl glared at him. She started to say something, but a bright silver flash interrupted her. Standing in the middle of the street was a young girl, about 12 or 13. She had long auburn hair, but her eyes were ancient. She glared at his group. "What's going on Lieutenant," the girl demanded.

"We were chasing the gorgon like you asked, but when we came here the wolves lost the scent. But we found this group of boys capturing this girl." the girl with the silver bracelet said glaring at Jacob.

Artemis's eyes exploded into silver fire. "You will die, Boy." she snapped raising a hand towards Jacob.

He started to protest, but Anita; scared, grabbed his leg and hid behind it. He lowered his hand and tousled her matted hair.

"We aren't capturing her, we just saved her from a Gorgon," Percy said.

"And why should I believe you. Who are you?"

He stayed silent.

Artemis glared at him, but the girl with the silver band rushed forward and backhanded him. "You will answer when my Lady commands; and you will take off your hood.

His group had leveled their weapons at the girl, but Artemis snapped her fingers and their weapons fell to their feet.

The girl drew back her hand to smack him again, but a small red dot played across her forehead. She lowered her hand and stepped back.

Percy smiled beneath his half-mask. Thank you Tammy, he thought. "Now if you done your little rant huntress, you will step back," he said, feeling horrible about being like this to Thalia, but he had sworn not to reveal himself to his old friends.

Artemis exploded in rage. "You dare threaten one of my huntresses!" A bow appeared in her hand, but Percy lowered his weapon to the ground and flicked a hand up. The light disappeared.

"I am sorry Lady Artemis." He said kneeling. "But I cannot answer your question."

She approached, glaring down at him. She reached down smacked off his hood. She pushed down his half-mask with a silver hunting knife and gasped, stepping back. The hunters reacted instantly, bows raised. Thalia stepped forward to beat him for attacking her mistress, but when she saw his face she gasped too.

"P.. ?"


	3. Chapter 3: A Wolven Guardian

Chapter 3

Calypso sighed when they made it into the street. Hunters, she thought. Maybe her half-sister Zoe could stop them from fighting.

She looked down at Anita and hoped that the meeting would not dissolve into a battle. She gave a quick glance at Nikolai; he was glaring at the hunters and gripping the stock of his crossbow with white hands. She knew if the hunters attacked him this night would end in a bloodbath.

Percy started forward; she knew things would only get worse when an arrow whipped through the air and buried into the ground at Percy's feet. Anita screamed, but Jacob silenced her.

Calypso watched as Percy started towards the girls that appeared near Jacob when two more arrows whistled past him. She snapped her crossbow up and took aim at one of the offending huntresses. Hunters. Zoe restrain your people before you lose them, she thought again.

And as if things couldn't get any worse, Artemis decided to show up. She watched as Percy stopped Artemis from killing Jacob. She started in rage as one of the huntresses backhanded Percy. She started to shoot the girl, but her crossbow was ripped from her hands. She considered charging the girl, but suddenly the girl froze. It took her a moment, but she figured out why, there was a red dot playing its way across the girls face. "Tammy," she muttered gratefully.

She watched as Percy flicked his hand and the red dot disappeared. She knew Tammy still had a bead on the huntress, but it was a nice peace offering.

Artemis challenged Percy and started to take off his hood. "No," she muttered. "Not now. Please not now."

She watched as the two stumbled back in shock. No, no, no, she thought. Not now.

Nikolai started towards Percy when the hunters raised their bows. One of the younger huntresses snapped off a shot at him. NO, she wanted to yell as the arrow nicked his ear.

She discarded the idea of getting her weapon and dove at Nikolai. She wrapped him up and started whispering fiercely in his ear. "Don't do it. It will be a bloodbath. Keep him under control," she said in a not so quiet whisper.

"Listen to your savior boy. Wouldn't want to get hurt, would you?" one of the nearby huntresses spat.

The fury in Nikolai's eyes had started to fade, but Calypso shot away when she saw the new look that entered his eye.

"PERCY, YARGESH IS IN CONTROL," she screamed causing several of the hunters to step back. They hadn't realized she was a girl, but now wasn't the time to look smug.

The second the words left her mouth she heard Percy mutter a quick apology to Artemis and charge at Nikolai. The demigod saw him coming and kicked him in the chest at the last second. "No, no, no," she said none too quietly. Percy was thrown into a nearby wall and he didn't stir.

One of the older huntresses raised her bow and took aim at Nikolai when he turned towards the one who had shot him. Her arrow head glinted bronze in the moonlight. "No, no, please..."

The hunter released the arrow and Nikolai's head snapped back before he fell to the ground. "YOU IDIOT," she exploded at the hunter as Nikolai's form stirred. "YOU'VE PISSED OFF YARGESH!"

"I'm not scared of a little boy," the huntress laughed. "I put him in his place."

"Idi..." she started to say, but was cut off when Nikolai stood up.

"Impossible," the girl stuttered. Artemis started forward when Nikolai began to glow. "He's a god," she gasped.

Calypso laughed. "You don't recognize him my lady? You and your huntresses should remember." She laughed.

Artemis and her huntresses looked dumbfounded. A huntress opened her mouth to berate the girl when the glow around Nikolai faded. In his place stood a pitch black wolf the size of a VW Bug.

The huntresses and Artemis stood speechless. "You don't recognize me, My Lady," the wolf growled, throwing contempt on the last word.

"What, are you monster?" One of the older hunters demanded.

"Of course, disgusting people like you wouldn't remember your cruelty," the wolf growled.

"Don't speak as if my Huntresses are monsters Wolf," Artemis spat dangerously. "My huntresses aren't disgusting like boys like you."

The wolf made a low choking growling sound and Calypso realized that Yargesh was laughing. "I'm the monster. You really don't remember me, My Lady? Perhaps this will remind you," Yargesh said lifting an enormous muscled forepaw. There, seen clearly by the light of the moon, was an imprint of a shackle on a bare patch of jet black skin.

Several of the Hunters gasped at the print. Calypso had already seen it, but the burn was still brutal. Burned into the bare skin around his forepaw was the Greek words for 'I am a disgusting male; I am hunted by the Hunters. I am dead.'

Artemis stepped forwards, a look of sympathy and pain in her eyes; surprising Calypso.

"Nikolai," she said in a tender voice. "We are so sorry."

"Sorry. Sorry," the wolf growled its voice dropping even lower until the words were barely audible. "You're Sorry," it spat, venom lacing its words. "I saved all of your lives, and how did you repay me. By hunting me like a wild animal. And you're sorry?"

Artemis took a step forward, but the look in his eyes stopped her.

"I saved your life from Lycaon, I saved your hunters. I saved you when you fell unconscious from your wounds. You'd think your hunters would be grateful. You think they would have said thank you. No. Well I have news for you Deary; they are the monsters. When you were unconscious they came upon you and attacked me. I understand why they did that; you had wounds from a wolf and they thought I was a wild animal. When I explained what had happened they listened, but when Nikolai took control and returned to his human form your hunters became violent. They refused to believe us, we submitted ourselves in hopes they would listen, but your hunters were cruel. They denied our story on the account we were male. You wouldn't wake up so they decided to make 'The monster' pay. Nikolai was confused so I took over and returned to our stronger form. They tricked us into putting on that cursed cuff. Your 'never at wrong' hunters released the power of the cuff. They shocked us, they turned us out to the forest and hunted us," with every word Yargesh spoke his voice got lower and colder. Shaking with rage he continued. "Every time we stumbled they would shoot us. Every time we escaped or hid they would shock us out. But no, your 'perfect female' hunters are not monsters," he said with venom. The hunters looked around some furious others sheepish and scared. Artemis opened her mouth to defend her hunters when he continued. "They hunted me for half a day, until you woke up. They had us cornered; bloody and exhausted and burned, but we still had not hurt the huntresses. No; we didn't touch them, but we knew that we would need to defend ourselves soon. There was a brief scuffle and in the end we had a hunter pinned, but unharmed when you came to us. We were relieved, you would save us. You would explain what had happened. But no, you lost sight of the truth. Your hunters couldn't be wrong, could they? You attacked us; after all we did, you hurt us. You overpowered us and cursed us. You gave us this fucking mark to remind us that huntresses are evil, that your prejudices gave you permission to be monsters."

He spat onto the ground. "You preach about the vileness of men when your hunters are the most sexist, the most prejudiced monsters in the world. You give them free reign to torture males for what they do to women, but you judge before you know. You are what you hate. You are fucking monsters." When Yargesh finished his last words his voice had changed, it still held the pain, but most of the anger had faded. The wolf began to glow again and in his place stood Nikolai.

Calypso went to the boy and pulled him into an embrace. She knew that he was too proud to cry, but he was raw on the inside. He allowed her to comfort him for a moment before he pulled back. Calypso took a step back, "It's ok Nik, you have us. Thank you for reeling Yargesh in."

He shuddered for a second, his shoulders dropping as pain seemed to roll off him in waves.

"Disgusting boy deserved what he got," one of the huntresses muttered none too quietly.

Calypso snapped. She didn't know what came over her, but before she knew it the girl was doubled over in pain. She smiled in satisfaction, her knife had smacked hilt first into the offending girl.

"Silence or the next one goes point first into your eyes," she seethed, another knife in her hands.

She turned back to Nikolai, but he didn't seem to have heard the girl. He was too focused on something else.

Calypso looked to Percy who was beginning to stir. He shot to his feet in an instant looking around in horror. He relaxed when he saw there wasn't a massacre going on, and his face took on a confused look until he saw Nikolai standing with a look of pain on his face. Calypso watched as he started forwards, but a silver blur knocked him on the ground. She thought for a second that one of the Hunters had shot him, but it was just a joyous hunter.

"Percy, Oh my gods you're alive. Thank goodness," Thalia said hugging Percy.

Calypso smiled to herself. She's taking things rather well, she thought. Before Calypso knew it Thalia was rearing back and backhanded Percy across the face again. "Where in the fuck where you!"

"Um, around Thals. I couldn't tell you, and I promise I'll explain, but first I need to help Nik," Percy said quietly.

Thalia nodded causing Calypso to smile. There was just something about Percy, she thought as she rubbed her paracord bracelet. His nature just made people want to love him, the great bumbling hero.

Yes, Calypso thought. He was the same bumbling hero that she had fallen for that week on the beach. She remembered back to the crisp clean waters of her prison home.

She had been tending her gardens when a streak of light had lit up the sky. At first she had thought it was Hephaestus coming to pay her a visit, but the streak was headed directly towards the water. The water had come up and grabbed the falling boy, cushioning his fall.

She had been hesitant to approach the boy; so many heartbreaks had left her shattered on the inside. She had half a mind to leave the body, but her inner compassion chastised her for even thinking such things. She was a different person than the girl who had supported her father in his horrible war.

She had been shocked at the damage to his body. The fire had burned almost a third of his body, but even more to her surprise those wounds were already healing from what looked like contact with the water. What worried her though were the pieces of stone sticking out from his body.

She had spent a day straight caring for the boy. She had removed the jagged stones from his body, cleansing the wounds with Nectar and water. Salt water seemed to have the most effect on the boy so she would lay his body in the sea for a few minutes every hour or two.

As she cared for him and his wounds healed, she started to do what she hated. She started to fall for yet another hero. Cursing the fates she brought him into her cave home and, exhausted, she collapsed in her bed.

The next few days passed and she came to love his face. When he had woken up she had sworn not to ask him, but the fates were cruel and she broke that promise as well.

The day had come for him to leave her, and that had broken her spirit. He had been so apologetic, but his fatal flaw required he go to his friends.

He had floated away on the raft and she had broken into uncontrollable tears. For weeks she was heartbroken, the loss of Percy had hurt her more than most others she had met, but she didn't know why.

Weeks had turned to months and she had slowly begun to recover from her ordeal when another streak lit up the sky. She had been immersed in her garden, the flowers growing around her. The plants calmed her down.

She almost screamed in rage when she saw the flaming mass. If it was another hero to break her heart; she would kill the fates herself.

The flaming ball had struck the island, sending out a shockwave of power. There stood Hermes, god of messengers. She had been relieved, it being a god and not a demigod.

Hermes had told her about Percy's accomplishments and his wish, that she could be free once more. She had nearly broken down into tears of joy, he hadn't forgotten her.

Hermes and she had talked for a while; eventually he had left the island, while she chose to stay behind for the time being.

She sat stunned in her garden. Percy had freed her from her prison. It finally began to sink in, free. She could just get on a raft and go anywhere. After countless years imprisoned here, she was finally free.

In those moments she had made up her mind, it was time for her to leave.

She went to her cave home, and for the first time ever she had to decide what to pack. She worked fast, putting clothes into an enchanted bag given to her by Hermes years ago. She looked around her home for a last time and set out towards her garden. She hadn't touched this part of the garden in years. She knelt down in the bed of dormant moonlace and dug her hands into the soil. She fumbled for a moment, but brushed against the handle she was looking for and with a few moments of struggling she brought the case to the surface.

The case was a plain wooden box, a four feet long by 2 and a half feet wide. She reached into her shirt and withdrew a key attached to moonlace charm. She hesitated with the key in her hand. She hadn't touched the box since Achilles had stayed with her. That day, the first time she had truly been scared in countless years of her Imprisonment.

...

A hero, son of Ares had washed up on her shore. The boy had been badly hurt, but with tender care she had nursed him back into health. The boy had woken up, but when he saw where he was and she made her offer, the son of Ares had grabbed her with lust in his eyes. She had tried to struggle, but grip on her wrists was too strong. She had given up hope when a crack in the ground had opened and out climbed a man dressed in combat armor.

The man had grabbed the son of Ares and thrashed him. Beating the boy soundly, raining blows all over the son of Ares body. The boy had cried out, but the warrior silenced him with a few more blows.

Dumping the body into a crack in the ground the warrior had turned towards her and gripped her wrist, lightly, but still immobilizing her arm. He had gripped her where the boy had grabbed her, causing her to tense again. She was worried that she had just traded one villain for another, but the man had just made shushing noises and her bruising slowly healed.

The second they were healed, the man released her wrist and stepped back; he grabbed his helmet and pulled it off. "Lady Calypso, It is a pleasure to meet you," the man said stepping back. "I am Achilles."

She was shocked, wasn't he supposed to be dead? "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Achilles chuckled. "I am dead, but a long time ago Hades gave me permission to leave the Underworld for a week after I saved one of his sons from the Styx."

"I didn't know Lord Hades allowed souls to leave the Underworld." she had said, shocked.

Again he had chuckled and she remembered her manners and offered they could go to her cave home.

After the initial shock wore off she had asked how he had come to save her. He had said that Odysseus was alerted the moment she was endanger and had asked Achilles to go save her.

She had been honored by his choice to give up some of his time for her.

They had talked for quite a long time before she remembered that he was using up his time. He had laughed and explained that he had promised to protect her for as long as he could. She had been shocked and demanded that he return to the Underworld so as not to waste his free time on her, but Achilles had explained that he wanted to spend time with her after all the stories Odysseys had told about her. At this she had blushed, but Achilles had rushed on, explaining that he was referring to the company they kept, not what they did in the bedroom, causing her to blush more. As the afternoon progressed they had grown closer, but the fact that he would have to leave at the end of the week pained her greatly.

The fates were cruel.

The next day she had been shaken awake by rough hands attempting to be gentle. Achilles had explained that his promise meant that he would teach her to protect herself. For five days they had trained and she found she had lost her touch during her imprisonment. Her skills since the Titan war had grown rusty, but she trained hard. She had improved greatly with a blade and was progressing exceedingly well with throwing knives and by the last day she had been able to hold her own against Achilles for a few minutes.

The last day they spent resting and relaxing, she had fallen for yet another hero that would have to leave her, and it had crushed inside. It was her curse, just as Achilles had his, she was cursed to never find lasting love.

They had said their goodbyes, and Hades himself had personally come to bring Achilles back. He had been incredibly apologetic to the two, but ancient laws bound him.

The day after he left, she had taken her sword and brace of throwing knives and put them in a case; burying it in the ground. She had promised that she was a changed person from the Titan wars, and she was still sickened slightly by what she had done during that time. So that day she had vowed not to touch the case unless her life was endanger, or she was released from her prison.

...

She remembered being crushed by her loss of a new love, and yet she had not learned from it.

She had squashed the memories and turned the key in the lock. The box faded into shadows for a moment, but reappeared moments later open. A sword lay next to a plain scabbard. A golden blade, shining brightly. She fingered the handle and pondered. This was not the blade she had left in the case. Noticing a slip of paper inside the scabbard, she pulled it out and read;

My sword has chosen a new owner and morphed to their style. Carry her with honor, Dearest Calypso  
-A

She looked at the sword with tears in her eyes. Achilles had given her his sword, he still cared.

She picked up the blade and shadows gathered around it. Again, fading once more the shadows revealed a new blade. The blade was shining silver, a line of gold around the edge. The middle was indented lightly in a blood runnel, giving the blade function and a little design, but what really pleased her was the hilt. Before it had been simple, lettered to spell the blade's name, but now there was a moonlace, with vines wrapping around the crosspiece.

As she felt the blade's weight in her hand she noticed two things. First, the blade was perfectly balanced in her hand and second, new words covered the note.

The sword needs a name, Calypso.

She thought for a moment and then said aloud, "Redemption, for the second chance that Percy Jackson has given me." The blade had glowed softly and when then glow faded, there lettered into the blade was a glowing phrase;

Είμαι λύτρωση. Τραγουδώ εκδίκηση και τιμωρία για Calypso κυρία μου. Είμαι μια δεύτερη ευκαιρία.

"I am Redemption. I sing vengeance and retribution for my Lady Calypso. I am a second chance," she thought aloud.

She whispered a thank you to Achilles and sheathed the sword. The sheath had glowed a moment, and when she looked down she saw a dark beige and dull green-paracord bracelet on her wrist.

Inside the case was still a brace of throwing knives, when she picked these up light flashed and then died down, and the five throwing knives had split into several sheaths. When she checked the blades they were the same design as her sword. She smiled to herself and thanked Achilles again, secreting the blades around her body.

She took to the raft and stole one last look at her island, her prison, her home. She sighed in contentment and set sail. "Percy Jackson," she said knowing the raft would take her to him.

A low chunk-chunk sound brought her out of her memory. She thought she had imagined it, but there it was; clear as day. The rotors of several helicopters coming in fast.

She looked to Nikolai who stood rigid, still in the center of the street. "Four, Blackhawks by the sound of it. Coming in low and fast," Nikolai said.

He started running for the nearest building, scooping up and tossing Calypso her crossbow before grabbing his own and diving through one of the doorways. Percy and the rest of the group knew nothing good would be coming so they headed for the nearest buildings.

Some of the hunters tried to stand their ground, but Artemis sent them into cover. Something bad was going to happen; she just knew it.

She blinked to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She was in a small one room building with Nikolai one of the older hunters. She felt a presence behind her and stepped through the door. Artemis came in and Calypso watched as Nikolai stiffened. This was not going to end well.

The roar of the choppers was deafening as they came overhead. She waited for them to pass by, but if anything the noise got louder.

The house that they were hiding in shook as the helicopters came overhead. Calypso looked up at the ceiling. I wonder when they'll pass over, she thought.

Nikolai started flashing his hands at her. "They're right overhead. I can't hear their conversation, but they aren't leaving. I think they're looking for something," he signaled.

"Alright, give it a few seconds and we'll do something," Calypso flashed back.

Nikolai nodded and gripped the stock of his crossbow tighter. Calypso knew the strength he possessed and wondered how the stock didn't splinter from that force.

A new sound brought her back to reality. "What's that," she signaled.

"Don't know," he signaled back.

The huntress in the room was glaring at us because she couldn't understand our signals, but her face took on a note of fear as she heard the new noise.

She shot to her feet and suddenly her bow appeared in her hands. "Cords! They're dropping in," she said as the door got kicked in.

Calypso hit the buckle on her bracelet and her sword appeared in her hands. She stabbed the first thing through the doorway in the face, but the sword just passed through. "Mortals," she shouted.

She dropped her sword and it disappeared; her bracelet reappearing on her wrist.

Artemis grinned and snapped her fingers. "Mortals are not allowed to witness my hunt."

Nothing happened. "The mortals are protected by an incredibly powerful immortal," she gasped.

Three more soldiers rushed into the room. Seven! Calypso wanted to scream. Then just as suddenly the soldiers were covering them with their guns, there would be no escape.

The two at the door stepped to the sides and in walked a new being. This one reeked monster, Calypso thought.

"Ahh, lovely Artemis. I told you I would be back and make you pay. You and your little brats."

"Thorne," Artemis spat. She started to drawback her bow, but the soldiers shifted their guns towards the demigods. "Uh uh uh," Thorne tutted. "Wouldn't want your lovely half-bloods to get pumped full of lead, would you?" Artemis glared at him, but there was nothing she could do.

She let the bow go slack and sighed, defeated. "Gather the half-bloods and the hunters," Thorne said to the soldiers.

Calypso and the hunter were forced outside. She looked back to the main room to see Artemis being clasped in chains by Thorne, but Nikolai was nowhere to be seen.

She stumbled forward when one of the guards hit her with the butt of his gun.

The demigods and hunters were forced against a wall and cuffed with plastic ties. There were so many soldiers, Calypso worried. Calypso heard one of the hunters mutter something about a firing squad; she didn't understand, but everyone else looked like they were about to start freaking out.

The soldiers stood nearby, several actually covering them with their guns, while the others seemed to be searching the houses. Calypso looked down when she felt a small hand grab her ankle. The tiny Middle Eastern girl, Anita, had crawled out from her hiding spot under the house.

Calypso quickly pushed her foot backwards. "Go back under and hide, don't come out till I tell you honey," she whispered to the small girl. Anita nodded and scurried back into her hole right before one of the guards came over and hit Calypso with the butt if his gun. "Shut up," he shouted.

Calypso and the others stayed up against the wall as Thorne and Artemis exited the small house. "I thought you might want to watch your lovely huntresses die before we leave," Thorne mocked. Thorne opened his mouth to speak, but he exploded into dust before the words could leave his mouth. A crossbow bolt clattered to the ground amongst the dust.

The soldiers started scanning the area, fearful of their lives. A soldier put his gun barrel to a hunters head and growled something vulgar to her. She spat on him and he started to pull the trigger, but a black streak took him down. There was a scream and the soldier's body started twitching. Just as quickly the black shape was gone. The soldiers started sweeping the alleys near the kicking corpse for an enemy, but they were empty.

Another soldier on the other side of the corner went down screaming. A soldier snapped off several shots into the alley, but he too went down and the black shape shot off again.

Calypso and the rest of the half-bloods in their squad began trying to escape their bonds; Nikolai wouldn't be able to kill all twenty remaining soldiers on his own.

Calypso succeeded in freeing herself from the ties with only some minor cuts. She started to pull off her bracelet, but realized it wouldn't do anything to the mortals. Growling she scooped up one of the downed soldiers guns. She tried to figure out how it worked, but instead just threw it to Jacob when he got free.

The black shape returned and took down several more soldiers and Jacob began firing at a group of them. Calypso quickly hurried the bound hunters into cover behind the house and started back to be with her people. Pops of gunfire could be heard in around the corner.

When she returned to the street there were only a few soldiers remaining, but Jacob and Percy were down. Jacob had a leaking wound in his shoulder and Percy was clutching a large spike in his side.

Calypso ran and dove to the cover they were down behind and grabbed one of the guns. She pointed it over the edge and started firing. Hearing screams and the sound of bodies hitting the ground hard, she knew she had hit them.

She continued firing until the gun in her hand clicked. She pumped the trigger a few more times, but just heard more clicks. She threw the gun down and looked over the edge. The remaining soldiers were lying on the ground not moving. Artemis and Nikolai were gone she started forward again, but a grunt behind her turned her around.

Jacob was tending to the wound on his shoulder, but Percy was completely out. He was leaning up against the corner of the house with a limp hand on the spike jutting out of his chest. "Percy," Calypso cried lunging towards him and examining the wound. "Jacob! What happened?"

"Thorne, he just reformed and shot the two of us and grabbed Artemis before heading towards the choppers over there," he grunted, pointing past the street.

Calypso nodded and shot off in the direction he pointed. She needed Artemis' help; Percy's wound was too severe. It needed a goddesses touch. She turned the corner and gasped at what she saw unfolding.

In the middle of the field; Thorne was dragging a stunned Artemis towards the waiting helicopters, but a black streak took him down.

Thorne stumbled and his tail started lashing back and forth. Spikes flying everywhere. Thorne continued dragging Artemis, but Nikolai hit him from behind again. The wolf started tearing at the Manticore's tail while Thorne attacked him with his talons.

Calypso ran to Artemis and started fiddling with her bonds. Grunting in exasperation she took off her bracelet and slashed the chain with Redemption.

The chains split and Artemis snapped out of her daze. She took in the scene around her and snapped her fingers. Thorne was thrown off Nikolai whom he had succeeded in pinning.

The second Thorne's weight was gone, Nikolai shot after the Manticore. Artemis made her bow materialize and shot the downed Manticore. The combination of Nikolai's teeth and Artemis's rain of arrows was enough to kill the Manticore again, but the dust was already swirling to reform.

"Um, Calypso you might want to back off to the village," a voice crackled over the radio.

"Why Tammy," Calypso demanded. "Thorne's about to reform."

"I know, but those helicopters are about to take off."

Calypso looked to the helicopters and smiled. A red dot was playing its way across the lead choppers engine.

"MOVE NOW," Calypso shouted. Grabbing the still slightly dazed Artemis, she yelled to Nikolai to hurry up.

They just made it to the first building when Thorne reformed and launched a volley of spikes at Artemis. Calypso tried to push Artemis down, but the spikes were still on a killing path. No, Artemis can't die, Calypso thought as she was shoved aside by a black streak.

Nikolai took the six spines that were going to hit Artemis right in his flank. Enraged Calypso threw a knife towards Thorne right as the first helicopter exploded. Her knife hit the gloating Thorne right in the forehead, disintegrating him.

Another loud crack was heard and Calypso watched as the second helicopter exploded. Incinerating some of the dust and throwing the rest to all corners of the field. Tammy, Calypso thought. Thank you.

She watched in disbelief as the third and fourth helicopters took to the air. Two more cracks rang out and the lead helicopter exploded; its rotor flying into the remaining helicopter, killing the pilot and forcing the helicopter into the ground below.

A whine brought her back to reality and she ran to Nikolai. His wolf form was starting to glow, when the light faded Nikolai lay on the ground with several spikes jutting out of his gut and legs. He was still bleeding like crazy, an already largish pool gathering around his legs.

"HEAL HIM," Calypso yelled at the dumbfounded Artemis staring at Nikolai's body. "NOW!"

Artemis shook her head and knelt down next to Nikolai. She put her hands on the first spike in his gut and slowly withdrew it, eliciting several weak curses from a fading Nikolai. Artemis hands glowed silver as she healed the dire wound. She did the same for the rest of the spikes until she collapsed from exhaustion.

Calypso sighed and sat down next to the two of them and fiddled with Redemption's pommel.

She flipped off her hood and returned Redemption to her wrist. How did Thorne reform so fast, she thought. Something was really wrong and she realized that it was only going to get worse.

Something really bad was going to happen, and they had two days left away from their return to Camp Jupiter.

PERCY! She shot up, grabbing the goddess and shaking her awake. "Artemis Percy needs help. Now!" With help from Calypso, the two of them made it back to the street where several hunters were tending to Percy under the watchful gaze of Thalia.

Artemis stumbled to Percy's side and put her hands on his stomach. She started to glow silver, but the wound wasn't healing. Right before collapsing, she sent a silent plea to her brother.

The hunters gasped as Artemis fell unconscious.

"P..P...Percy...no..." Calypso stuttered as she watched his chest rise and fall before becoming scarily still. "N..no," she pleaded. The hunters stood up and turned silently away. Percy had earned their respect and for possibly the first time ever, all of them were sad by the loss of a male.

Calypso started crying onto Percy, they had gotten so close over their sentence. Though she had been released from her prison; the Fate's punishment was still haunting her. The man she had fallen for was dead. Another hero lost, another love gone. She was broken once more.

Calypso laid her head on his chest, oblivious to the burning light approaching them fast. Percy, she thought. "I'm sorry my love. I should have told you," she whispered. And then she heard it. No, it couldn't be real. And then she felt it. Yes there it was, his chest had just moved upwards.

She shot to her feet and yelled for the hunters when she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. "Step back babe, this is gonna take a while."

She took several steps back as Apollo knelt down and laid his hands on Percy's stomach. He began to glow so brightly that everyone had to turn away, for fear of being blinded.

Minutes passed, hours, lifetimes; Calypso didn't know. All she was doing was praying that Percy would be ok.

The glow faded from Apollo and he collapsed next to his sister. "I'm...gonna take a nap," he said softly before passing out. Calypso was overjoyed, they were safe and Percy's face had returned to a healthy color. She watched him sleeping peacefully as Jacob and Tammy came to stand by her side. She nodded at their support and started to say something about getting Nikolai when a black wolf limped into the street and lay down.

Calypso ignored the hustle going on around her as Thalia and the hunters set up camp and started making sure the area was safe. She sat down next to Percy and watched the rise and fall of his chest and right before she drifted off to sleep she felt the small form of the young middle eastern girl snuggle up to her. Things were going to be okay.

* * *

Deep in the earth an ancient being stirred.

It had begun. It was finally time for the gods to pay. "Wake my children. It is time to destroy the gods."

The waking entity growled as it felt the life force of one of its servant's re-enter Tartarus. That demigod was turning out to be a real thorn in the side. But she would not make the same mistake as her son and underestimate the half breed. "I will have my fun with you yet Percy Jackson. Go to their home. Kill them all," The Entity ordered as a large group of monsters closed in on their "base of operations" somewhere in Europe. "You won't ruin my plans little hero," Gaea said as she drifted off to sleep. "Soon I will be able to wake, and then the world will tremble."

* * *

A lone figure sat upon its throne watching the scenes unfold on earth. Gaea was waking. The gods were enacting their plan to switch the leaders of the camps.

No, Gaea would fail. That was certain, but the demigod worried him. This would be an interesting time.

An: Sorry for the late update, I had to study for a final. I have more finals and Anak's out of commision for a while, so the next chapter might not be till Saturday or Sunday and even then it will be without Anak's grammar checks so there migh be a few more mistakes than normal. Thanks for all the reviews I got and viewers, I really want to hear what you all like and dislike, so you can message me or drop a review. I respond to all reviews. 


	4. Chapter 4: Nazis and Hunters

Percy stirred. His stomach hurt like he had just done five hours of those ab-exercise videos they had to do in school.

He chuckled silently to himself; school, what a novel idea. Ah, his old life seemed so far away. Hell his life at Camp Half-Blood seemed far away.

Camp…CRAP, Thalia was going to kill him. He grabbed his stomach, where he remembered getting hit by Thorne, but there was nothing there, just a large hole in his shirt.

"Wa.." he started. He felt something stir next to him. A mass of caramel hair moved next to him and he sighed happily. It was nice to wake up near Calypso. She was sitting in a chair near his cot. Looking like she had fallen asleep at his side and he assumed that's what happened even though he didn't even remember how he got into the tent. She looked so peaceful sleeping there. And beautiful. She was a really good friend and he liked her a lot. Maybe he should say something to her when they got back to the Roman camp, he thought.

She stilled again and Percy looked around him. He was in one of the hunters tents. It was surprisingly roomy, and there were a few more people lying in cots around him. He saw Jacob and Tammy conversing quietly in the corner. He continued sweeping the room. Artemis and Apollo were sleeping in cots next to each other while a few hunters were stirring across the tent.

Percy shifted his weight in the cot. A low groan brought his gaze to his other side. Nikolai was lying on a cot with bandages wrapped around his core and legs. Percy started to worry.

"Hey man," Nikolai groaned. "Gods I feel like shit."

Percy chuckled again. "You look it too," he joked.

Nikolai gave a grim smile and shifted his weight causing him to wince.

"What happened?"

Nikolai's face instantly fell. "Took a broadside of Thorne to save Artemis," he said, an emotion Percy couldn't identify clear in his voice.

"And Thorne?"

"Dead. Cal got the kill and Tammy blew up the helicopter scattering the dust. How in the hell did Thorne keep reforming so fast?"

"I don't know, but I feel like something really bad is going to happen. We need to get back to the cave. Get our stuff and head to Camp Jupiter," Percy said pushing himself up and wincing at the stiffness in his stomach. His wince brought Calypso awake. He looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Hey," he said lamely. She chuckled and reached over, brushing some hair out of his face. Strike that, he would definitely be telling her how he felt when they got back to camp.

"You ok?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Yeah it was nothing," he joked.

She shoved him playfully. "Whatever, I'm glad you're ok."

He smiled. "What happened? I remember falling unconscious after I took the spike?"

Nikolai snorted making both Calypso and Percy turn towards him. "Dude, it took the energy of both Artemis and Apollo to heal you. Your organs were so fucked up even Apollo didn't know if you were gonna make it."

"Shi...Sorry," Percy started before turning to a scowling Calypso. "Sorry," he said to her. "Anyways, damn man. So you took a barrage for Artemis?"

"Yeah I don't know what came over me; I swore I'd let them die next time," Nikolai said, scowling.

"I should kill you for that, but you aren't worth my time scum," a hunter sneered from across the room.

Nikolai spat on the ground and started to get up, but Calypso shoved him back down. "No."

"Whatever," Nikolai growled, "I'm regretting it already."

The hunter opened her mouth to say something but a voice rang out across the tent. "Be silent Phoebe."

The girl sat shocked that Artemis was taking the boy's side.

"Well I'm glad you finally decided to do something, my lady," Nikolai spat. "I heard when you woke up. And you can put away that dagger I can smell it from here. Disgusting," Nikolai said muttering the last word.

Artemis shot to her feet and started towards him. "You will show respect, boy."

Percy felt Calypso tense, Nikolai was going to lose it.

"You...You don't deserve respect anymore," Nikolai spat, shaking with rage.

Artemis raised her hand as if to smite him. "See, this is what's expected of a sexist pig," he spat.

Artemis too was shaking with rage, but Nikolai settled and calmly watched her with uncaring eyes. She brought her hand down and a silver hunting knife appeared in her hand. Something flashed in Nikolai's eyes.

Percy knew that look; Nikolai and Yargesh were fighting for control of their body and mind. Percy shifted in his bed accidentally knocking Nikolai's cot with his heel and for a split second; startled, all the pain and fear that Nikolai was suppressing flashed across his eyes, but just as quickly as it came it was gone.

Artemis stopped. Her knives disappeared and she crouched down next to Nikolai's cot. She reached out as if to touch his shoulder, but his eyes flashed and he growled. Her hand froze, but her eyes remained sympathetic.

"I'm sorry for what we have done to you, Nikolai."

He looked at her for a minute conflicting feelings flashing across his face until his restraint returned. His face became an emotionless mask. His eyes lost all other feelings except one.

"No." He got off the cot and walked out of the tent. A low glow filtered through the tent folds, a few moments later several of feet pounded away.

Artemis sighed and slumped onto Nikolai's abandoned cot. She looked at Percy and Calypso for something. Percy grimaced while Calypso glared at the goddess. "What did you expect, that he would forgive you after all you've done. After he just saved your life and you just tried to kill him."

Artemis looked...no, no not Artemis, Percy thought. That can't be right. She looked almost...sad. Sad for a boy?

Percy laid a hand on Calypso's. He looked at her. Something that had developed between most of their merry band of misfits was the ability to almost communicate wordlessly. She nodded, but the look of repressed fury remained.

She turned and glared at Artemis. "Fix what you have done goddess," she spat. "Now I am going to go find Zoe."

As she said those words Percy visibly flinched. How was he going to explain to her. Gods why did the fates have to be so cruel?

Calypso gave him a questioning look.

"Cal...Zoe's dead. I'm so sorry," Percy said quietly.

The look in her eyes almost broke Percy inside. "Cal..."

"How? When?" She asked in a soft voice.

"We were on a quest to save Artemis. Atlas had taken her hostage and was making her hold the sky. We saved Artemis, but when I was holding up the sky, Atlas struck down Zoe. Artemis was able to defeat the Titan, but at the cost of Zoe," Percy explained.

Calypso sat stunned for a second before she started to cry softly. "Zoe and I were close, but after the Titan war we never got to talk to each other. I...I..I never got to apologize for fighting her during the war," she sobbed.

Percy swung his legs off the cot and stood up. With sympathy on his face, he pulled her out of the chair and into an embrace. "It's ok. It's ok."

He rubbed small circles on her back and tried to calm her down, but she just kept crying and sobbing about betraying her sister.

"And..And now she's gone. I hope...I hope she made Elysium," she cried. And so Percy just held her tight and spoke softly to her. He told her that she was in the sky, but Calypso just cried louder.

Minutes passed and the two just sat there sharing the grief of Zoe's death. Calypso stopped crying, but stayed in Percy's embrace.

A few more moments and she pulled back and an angry determination took her beautiful features. She turned to the goddess and started to say something, but a distant howl stopped her. Her eyes widened and she rushed to the wall grabbing her and Percy's crossbows. "Warning howl," she said tossing Percy his weapon.

Artemis signaled and the hunters started rushing out of the tent.

Percy walked over to the tent flap and held it open for Calypso. He stepped outside and looked around the street. The hunters' tents were being collapsed and stowed in pockets. He would have to remember to ask Artemis about getting them some tents, he thought before remembering they were only two days from being done with their sentence.

He shook his head clearing his mind and switched on his earpiece. "Nik, If you're human; what's going on," he asked.

He waited for a moment and worried that Nikolai or Yargesh were in wolf form, but the radio cackled.

"At least eight choppers inbound, get out of there."

Percy turned to tell Artemis, but she had already heard. She looked up at the sky as if judging the time. Percy followed her gaze, he must have been out for a while because the light was starting to fade from the sky. "Just a few more minutes," she muttered.

"Nik, how fast can you make it back here?" Percy asked.

"Couple of minutes."

"Alright get back here, I think Artemis has a way out." At this the goddess turned towards him as if surprised he figured it out. Percy looked at her and just rolled his eyes, he knew it was a bad idea to patronize a goddess and this goddess in particular, but after his own and Nikolai's experiences with the hunters; his patience had worn thin.

"On my way," Nikolai responded before the radio went dead.

"Jacob, grab one of the soldiers guns and go with Tammy. You guys set up to hold until Nikolai gets here," Percy said. He picked up one of the discarded guns and checked the clip.

Artemis and Thalia had a short discussion and the hunters started setting up to defend the street.

Percy knelt down next to Anita. He could tell that all this nervousness in the air was getting to her. "Hey now, I want you to meet Artemis. She helps people like you who hate bad men."

Anita looked up at him and nodded. Percy led her to Artemis. "Lady Artemis, I want you to meet Anita."

Artemis knelt down next to the girl. "Hello Anita. We will talk as soon as we are safe, but I want you to meet some of your new family if you choose to accept them." Artemis called over Thalia and Eve. "Anita, this is Thalia and Eve, they're going to explain some things to you and keep you safe okay?"

Anita nodded and went off with the two girls, leaving Percy with Artemis. "You did a good thing Perseus. We will keep her safe and train her." Percy was happy that Anita would have a good home where she would be protected, but he harbored ill will at the fact that she would hate him soon. His eyes narrowed. "Good, train her and take away her innocence. Make her a sexist," he said, his anger for Nikolai bubbling over.

Artemis narrowed her eyes too. "Be careful boy, unless you wish to end up as a..."

"Small animal, yeah I know your threats," Percy said turning away. It hurt him a little to do this. He considered the goddess of the hunt a friend. A friend that would kill him in an instant mind you, but a friend none the less. Still, she needed to see that she was in the wrong, and that treating all males badly is even worse than what most of the males do to women.

He didn't look at her, but he could almost feel the different emotions rolling off of her. He considered apologizing, but the roar of helicopters brought him into battle-mode. He jacked a round into the chamber on the assault rifle and looked towards the coming helicopters.

Apollo came up to stand beside him, his bow had turned into an extremely powerful golden rifle, it looked like a cross between a Barrett and an M14, and he seemed more badass than he usually was. Then it hit Percy, he was in his Roman form. He nodded to the sun god and stared up at the lead helicopter. Artemis went off to speak with her hunters leaving the two of them standing their ground as the helicopters came on.

"I know your trying to defend us guys and all, but don't piss off my 'lil sis, Perce. She's likely to get back at you and if you hurt her too much me and you are going have problems."

Percy looked at the sun god and nodded. He liked Apollo, and the threat seemed genuine. "I know Lord Apollo, It's just she needs to understand."

"I've told you before! It's just Apollo, Cuz. And I know, but just be careful."

Percy just nodded and readied himself as the helicopters came in range of Apollo's gun. The god started to raise it to his shoulder, but a sharp crack beat him. Tammy, Percy thought with a note of gratitude. Her skill with a rifle was amazing and it sure had saved their asses many times over.

The lead helicopter suddenly banked to the right fast. The copter spun out if control and took down two others. Three down and fourteen more to go, Percy thought counting the remaining airborne death machines.

Apollo grinned at the accuracy, "Who's the shooter?" he asked.

"Daughter of yours, Tammy," Percy said as Apollo fired two shots in quick succession.

"She's damn good," Apollo commented with pride as several shots followed his own. Three more helicopters dropped.

"You know I'm kind of surprised they haven't fired back yet, Percy said as two of the helicopters lit up and several hellfire missiles streaked towards them. "Me and my stupid mouth," he muttered.

Before the missiles even came close the huntresses demonstrated their skill as a hail if arrows seemed to intercept them in midflight, blowing them up.

This was too easy, Percy thought as he began looking around. The country side behind them seemed to be clear enough, but several howls further into the town brought him back to reality. At first he thought it was Nikolai signaling his return, but these howls were different, more guttural and thick like boiling tar.

"Hell hounds," Percy called towards the hunters as he discarded the gun and grabbed up his crossbow.

Apollo and Tammy seemed to have the mortals under control, so he directed his attention to the approaching monsters. The first hellhound he saw ate a bolt to the face, but two more barreled through the dust. Percy grabbed the claw on the end of the stock and pulled back his weapons string until he felt the click. His mind focused down to the essence of battle and he tuned out the others.

The second bolt tore through the leading hellhound, turning it to dust, but the others kept on coming and Percy could see more on their way. Discarding the crossbow, Percy flipped the flap of fabric back over the hanging diagonally around the back of his waist. No point in spilling his quarrels. The hellhound was almost upon him as Percy took out riptide and slashed at the barred teeth. The hellhound was a small one, only the size of a BMW, about Nikolai's size come to think of it. The hellhound lunged again and Percy slashed at its throat. He opened up a good sized wound and the beast disintegrated.

He turned his attention back to the street as the other hellhounds met their deaths to a volley of silver arrows. He stooped and picked up his crossbow as several dracaena carrying javelins came around the corner.

He discarded both the idea and the weapon itself, instead diving forward as several gold tipped weapons hit the ground. He rushed the dracaena and struck about with his sword. These snake women offered little challenge, but what he saw coming down the streets made him want to cry out at the unfairness of it all.

A black shape streaked down the street towards him, followed by a legion of dracaena and a small group of fifty or so hellhounds in hot pursuit. Nikolai leaped into the air over Percy's head and turned back into his human formed landing and continuing running.

Percy turned and started running himself, scooping up his weapon as he ran. The hunters were locked in vicious combat with two large hellhounds. They were fighting a losing battle and Percy wouldn't be able to reach them in time. He watched as Thalia had Aegis batted out of her grip and sent flying. She stuck the truck sized hellhound, but the beast just knocked her down. It prepared to end her with a bite when a black shape knocked into it. The beast was momentarily unbalanced and Nikolai set to work on the monsters throat. It tried to dislodge him with a giant forepaw and Nikolai let it, he just took it's throat with him. The second hellhound turned to help its brethren and leapt at Nikolai. The wolf turned and just like that seemed to shift physically. Percy caught the look in his eye and knew Yargesh was in control. The hellhound was almost on the smaller wolf when Yargesh leapt at it. Somehow he managed to get on its back and rake his claws down the monsters spine. The hellhound started to roll over, but a quarrel took it in the neck and the beast disintegrated.

Yargesh turned towards Jacob who gave a little salute and knocked back another bolt. One of the huntresses was on the ground dazed. When she looked up she saw a black shape and stabbed at it with the knife. Yargesh was unsuspecting as the knife entered his leg, shredding tendons. His howl shook the mud structure next to him and his form began to glow.

Yargesh stood in the human form, clutching his left arm just above the wrist. He glared down at the huntress and stomped downwards his foot flashing towards the cowering girl. The blow stopped centimeters from the girl's face. Yargesh seemed to struggle for a moment and then put his foot down hard next to the girls head. He leaned over and spat in Phoebe's face and Percy heard something about disgusting women from Yargesh.

Something made him spin around as he brought Riptide up just in time to block the falling javelin. He parried the next strike from the dracaena and started to retaliate when the demon burst into a shower of gold dust, a silver and gold throwing knife striking the ground next to Percy's foot. He flashed Calypso a quick smile of gratitude and flipped the blade up with his foot. Grabbing the hilt he threw it past her face and struck the hellhound behind her. She jumped as the blade flashed by, but settled for giving him a death glare before she turned away and struck out at a hellhound. The hunters executed the last dracaena and started to shout in triumph, but quieted quickly.

Percy turned back to the main street as the legion of monsters arrived. The monsters paused and started forwards as one. The group slowly realized just how screwed they were.

Percy looked around the group of scared faces. Everyone realizing they probably wouldn't make it out of here alive. His gaze came to rest on Apollo who was staring at Tammy with a look of pure pity on his face. There was nothing he could do, gods he probably already broke so many rules thus far. He wasn't like Artemis, he couldn't assist his demigods.

Wait! Where was Artemis, Percy thought as a loud horn honked. He looked to the sky and almost cried in relief. Artemis had saved them all. She swooped down in a silver Aston Martin. She hopped out of the driver's seat and gave them all a wicked, grin. "What you thought my brother was the only one with a nice car?" she asked mischievously. She chirped the keys and the car slowly grew into a silver and white camouflaged Duce and a Half. The hunters and their small band of misfits began climbing in the canopy covered back. Percy and Apollo covered the retreat as Artemis got back in and gunned the engine. Percy waited in the back until he heard Apollo slam the shotgun seat door. He jumped backwards and slashed at the closest hellhound. He felt strong hands grip him under the arms and haul him into the back of the truck as the hellhounds closed in on them. Percy safely inside, Tammy rapped twice on the metal separating the cab and the crew compartment. Artemis responded and sped off into the sky. The dracaena tried throwing javelins at the fleeing truck, but they were already too high.

The hunters and their small band gave great whoops of triumph, having not lost a single person in the battle. Percy sighed happily and lay back against the cold metal floor of the truck exhausted.

Nikolai woke with a slight start when the truck pulled to a stop. He hadn't even remembered falling asleep, but sure enough he hadn't remembered anything about the flight. His mind was in a turmoil right now, swirling around and around. So many emotions and ideas clashing together, fighting for supremacy. And it didn't help that Yargesh was adding his own little comments and ideas into the mix. Sometimes Nikolai wished he didn't have an entire other person in his mind.

Everything seemed to be revolving around the hunters and Artemis right now. All the conflicting emotions, possible ways to react...everything had to do with them.

Fisking hunters, he thought clutching his arm where the huntress had slashed him. What had he done to them to deserve this? No. He knew. The hunters were just a bunch of evil monsters in the clothes of demigods.

His wound had already healed, another thing he had to thank his father for, he thought bitterly. Lycaon, the piece of shit, no good, fisking wolf god shit. Nikolai was glad that Calypso couldn't read his thoughts right now. She'd probably be disappointed in his lack of control over his language, but right now he decided he didn't care.

Fucking useless wolf. Lyacon was the reason that Nikolai was in this predicament now. He just had to go rape a mortal and then leave her alive. And oh whoops! Out pops baby Nikolai a few months later. Good right, he's alive. No. He somehow killed his mother when she was giving birth to him so baby Nikolai was put in the orphanage. When he was eight things started to change. He started becoming more feral sometimes and lashing out at the other children. And something was pinging inside his mind. Constantly, telling him to go somewhere.

After a particularly brutal fight with another child, Nikolai decided to take off to find the source of the pinging. He had worked his way across the country. Surviving off the woods and killing or escaping from monsters with his great strength and speed. Eventually he had found the source of the pinging. It was a pack of wolves. When he approached them, they had looked at him like he would be their next meal, but the Alpha had held them in check. Lycaon could smell himself on the boy and figured out what he was, so over the next few years the pack had gradually accepted and trained Nikolai. They taught him about how to control his wolf form; that he would heal faster, be stronger than other humans, and have an immunity to the normally killing celestial bronze and imperial gold.

So Nikolai gradually grew to the pack, even though they treated him as a plaything and bullied the boy. He got older and stronger, but in his mind he held onto his own beliefs, pushing aside the packs. He didn't believe in killing all the demigods and mortals they came across, but sometimes he was forced to fight them.

He had started to accept his place when the wolves had come across the hunters of Artemis. The hunters had been unsuspecting and the pack had taken them out. Lycaon had taken on Artemis and won as the rest of the pack chased off the hunters. Lycaon had told Nikolai to keep guard as he had his fun. And so Nikolai did.

Somehow the wolf king had gotten Celestial bronze manacles and attached them to the maiden goddess. She was completely helpless and Lycaon was taking his time torturing her. Every cry of pain drove a dagger into Nikolai's heart. Every whimper or squeak. Sure, the goddess had been strong and resisted giving Lycaon any pleasure for a while, but the wolf king's hatred for the gods and her in particular had fueled his tortures.

After what had seemed like hours Lycaon had started getting more and more feral. His cuts became deeper and his blows more jarring. He was trying to destroy the goddess, but when he stopped Nikolai thought the goddess would get a clean death. But all Lycaon had done was start to fiddle with his smelly breeches. It took Nikolai a second but he realized what Lycaon was going to do. Artemis realized as well and had started to struggle again, but Lycaon was too strong and she was bound. Nikolai realized that Lycaon was not what he wanted to be, and in a fit of rage he flew at his father. The unsuspecting king of wolves was too late to react as Nikolai drew a silver blade from a discarded sheath and stabbed it into Lycaon's neck. Ignoring the burning of the silver, Nikolai jerked the blade around until Lycaon gave him one final curse and dissolved. Nikolai had released the goddess from her chains, and brought her his own supply of Ambrosia, she had thanked him even though he was a male, and fallen unconscious. Nikolai decided to stand guard in case any of the pack returned, so he took to his wolf form and that was how the hunters found him.

Nikolai looked up as someone shook his arm. It was Calypso and Percy. Together, looking at him with worried faces. He looked up at his friends and gave them a crooked smile, his fangs flashing in the florescent light of their cave.

"I'm ok," he said getting up and grabbing his crossbow. "Let's get loaded up so we can get out of here."

Percy and Calypso looked at him for a few moments more before both of them nodded and went into their cave-base. Nikolai didn't know why they didn't just tell each other that they liked the other.

"Yes, Stupid human emotions," Yargesh said in his mind.

Shut up, Nikolai thought back and started raising the barriers he kept to tune out Yargesh.

Barriers up, Nikolai sighed and started around the truck just to run into a waiting Artemis. Shit, what can she want?

"Boy," she started and with a growl he tried to walk past her, but she stuck out an arm and blocked his path.

"Please. Move. Lady. Artemis." he said with barley held in check anger. Even with his barriers up Yargesh was still influencing him. "No this is all you," Yargesh said from the back of his mind.

"No, you and I are going to talk," Artemis said not moving her arm.

"I have nothing to say to you," Nikolai responded turning on his heel and walking the other way.

"Good Nikolai, maybe there is hope for you yet."

"Shut up, Yargesh."

"Whatever Nikolai."

Gods he hated having Yargesh in his mind at times. Also the stupid hunters fault he thought, but pushed the memories away for the time being. He needed to focus on packing up and heading back to Camp Jupiter. He had proven his loyalty to the camp and perhaps he would even find another family than the one he already had.

He walked around the other side of the truck and was glad to see Artemis wasn't blocking his way again. He didn't know what he would have done had she been there. He walked through the entrance to the cave and into the back. A cool little hidey-hole they found when tracking a hydra a while back. The cave connected into a series of tunnels that in turn connected to a secure underground bunker. It had once been a secret Nazi bunker, but after killing the hydra, their little group had cleared it of all Nazi paraphernalia and now it was all theirs.

The main series of tunnels at the back of the cave led in several directions. One to a pit drop down to Tartarus, when deciphering some of the Nazi log books they found that the Nazi's were doing experiments with the pit and trying to determine what it was. The fools that were sent down on cords never returned, so the Nazi's began throwing dead and live prisoners into what they thought was a "pit to hell" which was funny to Nikolai because that's what it was.

Two of the other tunnels lead to a furnace, and the main bunker. The furnace had a human sized door and their little group had burrows that bit under rubble when they figured out what it was for. The last tunnel, the one that lead to the bunker, was the one Nikolai took. The door to the bunker looked like one of those bank vaults, and normally it took four of them to open it, but right now the door was already ajar.

Nikolai walked in and pushed past the hunters that were milling around the main chamber. They were lounging around and eating food from the well-stocked pantries and kitchen. Sure the original supplies had been thrown out when their little group cleaned the place up, but they had restocked. Only non-perishable foods and preserves, but it was still nice to be able to have a hot meal whenever the group was at home.

Ignoring the grumbles and sneers from the hunters, Nikolai pushed through to the hall that lead to his chamber. He went to the barred door and pushed it open. It had used to be a fairly large barracks, but over the years Nikolai had moved most of the excess bunks and stuff into other rooms. Right now there were two three tier bunks against the far wall and a few belongings chests at their feet. Nikolai closed the door and threw the bolt. He didn't want to deal with anyone right now, so he made sure the bolt was secure.

His mind wandering again, Nikolai unzipped the torn and bloody combat clothes that Percy and he had designed over their sentence and threw them into the chute. They had learned that the chutes lead to a cleaning room somewhere below them, but Nikolai didn't really care; he had plenty of other sets in one of the chests.

Tired and dirty Nikolai went to the back of the barrack to the showers. He took a hot shower and returned to the bunks.

He opened one of the hinged belongings boxes and took out another suit.

He took time to marvel at the design they had created. The pants were black and cargo. The pockets were plenty and sturdy, able to hold anything from Ambrosia to a block of C-4. The undershirts were a simple choice. Depending on the climate of where their next mission was the group had a choice between a thin cotton shirt or an underarmor style for the cold. Their jackets were amazing. They too were black, but there was removable armor pieces that could attach to the shoulders, chest, and forearms. Nikolai liked to keep the thick pads of polyfiber armor on most times, they offered more protection to him when he was fighting and cushioned blows. Sprouting out of the collar of the back of jacket was a hood made of a heavy linen or polyfiber material, Nikolai couldn't remember. The hood came to a point in the front, to conceal ones face better and the sides were made of a black gauze so hearing wasn't restricted by the heavy fabric. It was no difference to Nikolai with his heightened senses, but it helped the others a great deal. Attached to the sides and front of the jacket collar was a halfmask, when the hood and mask were both pulled up the face was obscured perfectly. Over the jacket would go a combat harness or vest. With pockets that could be filled with Kevlar or Ceramic plates depending on where they were sent to. Along with a few more pouches these vests were a stroke of genius. Around the back, slung diagonally from the small of their back were their quivers for the crossbow bolts. There was a flap of fabric attached with a buckle to keep the quarrels still when sneaking and from falling out when they had to roll or dodge. Beneath the quiver was a sheath on all of their suits for a sword, except for Percy and Calypso who's weapons were enchanted. Finally the shoulders both under and on the removable armor pieces were an American flag and the symbols S.P.Q.R, an extra little precaution for when they had to enter combat zones or areas where demigods could be.

Nikolai, finished admiring the combat clothes, put the new ones on, but left the jacket and vest off. It would be easy enough to slip into them if they were attacked, but Nikolai liked the freedom without armor when in the base.

He looked around his room and tried to figure out which of his trophies to pack up first when there was a rap on the door. He went over, removed the bolt and turned the non before walking back.

"Hey Nik, you want to go shoot down at the range while Artemis and Percy are talking?" Jacob asked coming into the room.

Nikolai turned to look at the boy as he slipped a hydra tooth into a small plastic case and dropped it into an empty chest. Jacob had brown hair and a darker complexion than seemed fitting to him. His eyes sparkled with untold mischief. Jacob was a good friend, he knew Nikolai couldn't stand the hunters and was offering to give up his chance to plan their next move so Nikolai wouldn't have to be uncomfortable.

"Naw man, we both need to be there," he said taking down a battered shield and throwing it into the chute.

Jacob just shrugged. "Alright man. If you want to hang later holler," he called over his shoulder as he left. Nikolai smiled and went back to packing. He had collected quite a few trophies over the years.

He packed up all of them and froze when he saw one that had been shoved into a corner on a ledge. It was the cuff that the hunters had forced upon him. He grabbed the cuff as sat on the bed, his thoughts swirling again.

* * *

AN: So here's chapter 4. Sorry it's late and I hope you all enjoy it. Summer is here and I have a ton of time on my hands, so I will get them out faster (hopefully.) Remember I read and respond to all Reviews and PMs so any questions or concerns you have send um my way.

As always, go read Anaklusmos' stories. They are great and he's BACK! Go read Y.A.R.N and Blueper's stories they also rock. And as a new note go read Inspiration on a Stick, he has a AU story (that I think is great) already started and he will begin something new hopefully soon. I promise you will enjoy both.

-Invictus


	5. Chapter 5: Rage

Chapter 5

The blade flew through the air and smacked into the target hilt first. Calypso gave a small grin; she had finally perfected the art of hitting things with the hilt when she wanted to.

It had been countless years since the first Titan war, but to this day she had never forgiven herself for the things she had done. No, she had not forgiven herself.

She jumped, startled as a hand pried her fingers off her necklace. She whirled to see the sympathetic face of Percy Jackson. He gripped her hand in his own and pulled her into an embrace. She sighed and eased her head onto his shoulder. Percy Jackson, the hero that gave her a second chance. He traced his finger across her neck where her necklace had bit deep into her flesh from the pressure she had exerted on it.

"What's wrong?" He asked and pulled back to arm's length.

"Nothing." She said. "I just don't like the hunters."

He looked her in the eyes for a few more moments and then looked away like he wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to say the words.

"Alright, I just came by to see if you wanted me to save you a seat at the table?"

"Yeah, that would be great, Percy," she smiled and released his hand, turning away to retrieve her daggers. Percy knew that she would be joining him at the table for the meeting. All of them would be, but he offered to save her a seat, probably right next to his, which she was happy about. The two of them had grown close over their sentence, and with only one more day left in their sentence, they would finally be able to return to the camp. A sanctuary from the danger of the world, and then who knows what might happen.

She retrieved her daggers and turned to the door. Percy had left already, to go to the meeting room no doubt. He and Artemis had much to discuss. She flipped off the lights and left the target range behind her, weaving her way through the corridors to her barracks. She crossed by Nikolai's room as Jacob left and just grimaced at his face. He gave her a nod then jerked his head towards Nik's room and took off down the hall to find Tammy.

Calypso stuck her head into Nikolai's room and shook her head sympathetically. He was clutching the hunter's 'gift' to him, either ignorant to or relishing the pain that the silver caused to his flesh. The piece had burned his hands badly, the blisters were already cracking.

"Nik," she said as she crossed to him and took the cuff from his hands and put it on the bed before pulling him into a hug. "It will be okay Nik. The hunters will be gone soon and we can finally go to camp and live safe."

He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. "No," he rasped, the pain from the silver or his mental state clear in his voice. "They will never accept me. Not for who I am. You and Percy they will forgive and take in. You have proven yourself, but me. I'll never be accepted for who my family is."

She smacked him softly, but she could tell it stung nonetheless. "Nikolai! You take that back right now. Don't you dare insult your family! We are your family!"

He gave a grin and hugged her again. "Thanks Cal. That was a big risk you took just now. What if Yargesh took over?"

"He wouldn't have done anything because unlike you, he knows I'm his family and he wouldn't do anything to harm any of us."

He just smiled and shook his head, but Calypso knew he was okay again.

"Now clean yourself up, we need to meet with the hunters," she said, an underlying note of distaste in her voice. Nikolai nodded and she left him there on his bunk. Next to the horrible reminder of what the huntresses had done to him.

Finally reaching her room she locked the door and collapsed onto her bunk and sighed contentedly. Home. With her family, her friends. Safe, she thought and stripped off her clothes before climbing into the shower. The water felt good as it cascaded over her body, the warmth soaking into her bones, driving the chill of the mountains away. Safe.

She finished her shower and put on a new set of clothes, leaving the armor laying on her bed. They were safe for now, and she wasn't too worried about the hunters if it came to violence. She ran a brush through her hair and slipped her various weapons back into her pockets. She was at the door when she returned to her bed and pulled the case out from under it. Unlatching it she considered the objects inside. With the hunters around, she knew it was better safe than sorry. Her words with Nikolai had not been entirely truthful. If Yargesh had taken control and gone into a frenzy then he would have torn her apart. He would have been sad, or as close to sad as Yargesh could feel about it later, but he would have killed her none the less. She knew the others would be carrying similar weapons (even Nikolai), but it still felt like a betrayal nonetheless. With a grimace that she felt was on her face too much recently, she took the three silver hypodermic darts from the case and slipped the revolver into her pants. Inside each dart was a liquid, a mixture of silver dust, Greek fire, and imperial gold. Two of the darts had gold bands; they only contained enough dosage to put Nikolai to sleep. A very painful sleep, but that was it. The third dart had a silver band with the dosage inside that would make Nikolai's blood burn through his body. A necessary precaution, but a total last resort. Something she had never even wanted to consider.

She wanted to throw the darts in a fire and throw up, but she knew it was necessary. So she stood and left her room, a horrible taste in her mouth and the hopes that she would never have to use the darts.

A short walk brought her to the meeting room where everyone but she, Jacob, and Nikolai had gathered. She saw that Percy had saved a seat on either side of him; one next to Tammy and one next to Thalia. Leaving Jacob the seat next to Tammy, she took the one next to Thalia and gave the lieutenant a smile. Calypso knew that Percy and Thalia had been good friends, and she had to admit that she liked the huntress as well.

Jacob came in and sat next to Tammy, ignoring the sneers of the veteran hunters. Nikolai came in a few minutes later and took the only seat left. The one next to the red clad huntress.

"Just like a disgusting boy to come late," the girl sneered.

Calypso tightened her hand around a dagger when she felt another hand touch hers. Percy pulled her hand away from the blade and gripped it firmly. Calypso relaxed, she liked how Percy had that effect on her. She looked into his eyes and saw the repressed fury burning there, but when she looked at Nikolai she saw nothing in his expression.

"What, no excuses? Scared little shit."

Yet still Nikolai held his tongue. Before the girl could open her mouth again Percy let go of Calypso's hand and stood.

"Lady Artemis, where is Lord Apollo?"

"My brother left shortly after arriving to tell the council about the events of today. Something is very wrong and I," she paused. "I'm sorry, I need to leave. My father summons," she stood and looked for a moment at Nikolai. She opened her mouth, but then shut it and left the room.

"Well that was productive," Percy said bitterly before turning to Thalia. Thalia, perhaps you and I could talk?"

"Sure, come on Fish boy. Show me this cool base."

Calypso gave Percy a smile and he and Thalia left. Leaving the room silent once more. After a moment Nikolai stood and left.

"Look at the scared wolf run," the red clad huntress called after him. "Panzy."

Jacob slammed a fist onto the table. "Shut the fuck up!"

The huntress whirled on him and stood.

"What did you just say, Boy?" she demanded.

"I said shut the fuck up, bitch." As the words left his mouth the hunters rose as one. Blades and bows appearing in their hands, yet Jacob just sat there.

"What did you just call me!" the girl yelled.

"Bitch." He said nonchalantly. In a few seconds the girl was across the room, a police baton expanding and turning into a celestial bronze sword. The girl kicked his chair back and Jacob reached for a knife. The girl grabbed him and slammed him up against the table, a note of fear entering Jacob's face.

"You're dead," the girl growled and raised the blade. The huntress stepped forwards to stop her but it was too late. The blade sang through the air and connected with Jacob's neck...before passing right through. Faster than any of the hunters could react, Jacob threw off his pseudo terrified and weak act and slammed his fist into the girl's stomach. His blade appeared at her throat and she dropped her sword. A note of fear and disbelief clear in her eyes.

"But...but" she stammered.

Jacob laughed and pressed the blade a little deeper into the underside of her chin. "So bitch. I'm dead?"

One of the huntresses started moving towards his back, but a click stopped her and the others. Tammy had a 1911 out and pointed at the girls head. "Next one of you that moves, she dies." Tammy said calmly.

"So where were we?" Jacob asked and dug the blade a little deeper. "Phoebe right? That's right, you were pissing at Nikolai. The 'boy' that has saved your ass countless times. Twice in the last day in fact. And how do you repay him? By stabbing him and then mocking him? You have three strikes.

One; you insulted me.

Two; you insulted Nikolai.

Three; you're a daughter of Ares, why do that matter? Because he raped my mother. Now let's see what I can do to prove that we guys are monsters," he said and drew the knife back, placing the point on her cheek.

"ENOUGH!" a voice boomed across the room. "JACOB! STAND THE FUCK DOWN!" Nikolai bellowed from the door way.

"But man! She's disrespecting you! After all..."

"You think I can't hear the girl? You know I could do this if I wanted to. Stop now and leave," he said turning and leaving the room again.

Jacob glared at the girl in front of him. "Lucky day bitch. That's the third time he's saved your ass. Now get the fuck out of my base."

He lowered the blade and turned away. Phoebe's hand dropped to her belt and she stabbed Jacob in the back with the blade, but again the blade passed right through. He spun around pressed the point of his dagger into her nose. "I don't normally hurt girls unless I have to, but I'd make an exception for you." He drew back a fist but stopped. "That's four times." He turned and left the room, Tammy following after him.

The hunters went to Phoebe and their medic started to work on the cut under her chin. "I'm sorry that this happened," one of the huntress' said to Calypso. "But since he drew the blood of a hunter, Artemis is going to kill him."

Calypso stared at her. "She wouldn't dare."

"What you think Artemis is afraid that he's a son of Ares?"

"No, and he's not a son of Ares"

"But you heard him, Ares raped his mother."

"Yes, and he was forced to watch by the war god."

"Wait what do you mean, he was alive?"

"Yes."

"Then...how is he immune to celestial bronze and consecrated silver?"

Calypso laughed and went to the door. "He's a mortal dear. Your weapons are useless." With that Calypso left to go find Percy because she had a feeling things were about to get ugly

Percy laughed as Thalia told about how Nikolai had challenged the Ares camper to a duel and fought him with just his bare hands. The boy hadn't left his bed for weeks after.

"They miss you, you know," she said shoving him into a wall. "We all miss you. I lost my two best friends that day."

"I'm sorry Thals." He hung his head in shame and grief. "I couldn't tell anyone anything. No one."

"I get that, but now you need to let people know you're alive."

"I don't want to..." he trailed off at the look of fury that entered her gaze. Electricity cackled down her arms as she punched him in the face.

"I KNOW SHE LOVED YOU AND YOU HURT THAT SHE'S DEAD, but I lost you both...I..."

"Thals...I'm so sorry!" Percy said pulling her into a hug despite her half attempts to push him away.

"She..She loved you and then you left when she died. I know it must have hurt...but" she cried quietly.

Percy was just dumbfounded. Thalia was crying and he wasn't about to get shanked for seeing it.

"Thals...she didn't love me."

Thalia rounded on him. "Don't you say that! I saw the way you two looked at each other!"

"When she died.." His voice broke. "When she died, she told me she never loved me. That she was just leading me on because she couldn't have Luke." Percy grimaced as he remembered. "That's why I left."

Thalia stopped glaring at him. "Percy...I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," he muttered.

"Still, I'm sorry." She pulled him into another embrace. "But if you ever disappear again. I'll kill you."

Percy and Thalia laughed and continued walking down the hall, as Thalia told about how Nico hadn't stopped looking for him, that he had progressed into a rather fine swordsman. The last time they had fought, Nico had held his own for twenty minutes before she overcame him with her spear.

"You have to see him now. Go find him when you get back."

"I promise when I next step foot in New York, I'll find him," Percy promised.

The two rounded a corner when Calypso rushed past, tripping over Thalia and landing directly in Percy's arms.

"Hey you," Percy said as he set her back on her feet, keeping a hold on her hand. Calypso just smiled and the two continued to stare at each other until Thalia coughed.

Embarrassed the two let go of each other's hands and stepped back a pace.

"Oh! Umm...you guys should go talk to the hunters before they lynch Jacob. One of the hunters attacked him and he drew blood." She paused as Thalia rushed off. "Is she going to..."

"She'll try to calm down the hunters until I can get there," Percy said as he picked up on the note of worry in her voice. "What happened?"

They rushed back towards the meeting room as Calypso recalled the fight.

"So they know he's a mortal? We're gonna need to get to them before one of them strangles him.

They rounded the corner to see Thalia and Phoebe facing off. Thalia didn't have a weapon, but Phoebe was hesitant to approach. Suddenly Phoebe lunged and struck at Thalia who just barely managed to deflect the blow with her forearm. She grunted in pain as the flat of the blade ricocheted off her flesh. The other hunters were out for blood, so when they saw Percy they turned on him.

"Kill the boy!"

"Rip them all apart!"

Before he knew it he was surrounded by eight hunters.

"Let's take his balls," one of the first said as they closed. They all had a frenzied look in their eyes, and yet Percy did nothing. Slowly he pushed Calypso behind him.

"Go! Find Nikolai and make sure Yargesh does not take over." He whispered fiercely. "Go!"

Calypso didn't move, not willing to leave him to the closing girls. "GO!" He yelled as the first girl attacked, lunging for his balls with her sword. Faster than the girl could react Percy had the blade by the hilt and threw the girl away.

"What are you doing Hunters," Percy said evenly as he blocked a two girls into each other.

"Shut up slime! All boys must die!" One screamed and threw a knife at him. He dodged the blade and turned another sword with his arm. His mind was trying to process what was happening. There was something wrong with the hunters. Something in their eyes was wrong.

The blows continued to fly at him as he turned the strikes, throwing girls into each other and slowly amassing a pile of silver weapons behind him. But no matter how many he took, the hunters just seemed to have more and more. Each time he blocked a girl he looked into their eyes. Each one had red eyes...what the fuck, he thought.

Through the fighting he saw something that curdled his blood. Phoebe had Thalia pinned against the wall and was muttering some sort of incantation. Thalia's struggling was subsiding and he thought he caught a flash of red in her eyes. He tried to see more but the girls were advancing in a line towards him and his sight was cut off.

As the next girl lunged at him with a hunting knife, Percy grabbed the blade and the arm attached to it. He swung the girl around until the blade was at her throat.

"ENOUGH!" He bellowed, and for a moment everyone of the hunters froze and their eyes flashed back to their original colors. Looks of confusion clouded their gazes and a few started to back away, but Phoebe yelled something and their eyes turned red again. Enough was enough.

For the first time in their nine minute fight, Percy used a blade. He drew back the knife and threw it past the hunters into the door that Tammy had just entered. He shoved the hunter he had hostage back and stared to back away, but the hunters had their bows out. Fury clear in their eyes. Shit shit shit shit, Percy thought as he backed away until he heard yelling behind him and turned to see the veteran hunters charging towards him.

He looked back to the normal hunters. "Phoebe," he called and the ranks parted as the girl walked out flanked by Thalia. "Why are you doing this?" He asked.

"Because you boys are disgusting and the hunt is becoming weak. We will slaughter you boys and the others will remember themselves and we will rid the world of you scum!" She ranted.

"So you've possessed them?" He asked as he looked past them to where Tammy was slipping towards Jacob's room.

"I've used my father's powers to induce a rightous rage into them. They will remember what we are!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you attack Nikolai. He'll turn and Yargesh is not likely to show mercy."

"Then we will shoot him like the wolf he is," she said. "Thalia, kill him."

Percy looked at Thalia and for a moment he felt fear.

Lady Artemis. I'm sorry for being disrespectful to you earlier, but you need to come now. The hunters are about to kill me and I can't do anything against them, Percy prayed.

Thalia continued to advance and Percy finally drew a blade on a hunter. "Thalia you don't need to"

He doged as she lunged with her spear. He brought his blade up and blocked her next thrust. The two backed off and he realized this fight would not end well, one of them would end up wounded by the end of the fight. Shit shit...

They came together again and the sounds of clashing metal filled the hall as the two battled with the hunters watching on in rapt amusement. As they fought Percy tried to stay on the defensive, but she was pushing so hard, her rage causing her to create openings that would normally prove her undoing. But he did not take these opportunities, and it was costing him. Her moves may have been easily parried, but damn did they hurt. There fight continued for another ten minutes. Percy just able to keep blocking but never attacking.

"I grow bored of this. Sisters, kill him." The hunters grinned as Phoebe finished speaking. They were bloodthirsty and without common sense, but Percy realized he was truly fucked.

"Hey now," he called putting up his hands, only for an arrow to flash past his head and bury itself in the wall.

"Start running! We love a hunt," Phoebe said as she drew back her bow again. But Percy did not move.

"So be it. You die where you stand." Phoebe sneered.

The hunters drew back their bows as one and Percy let Anaklusmos drop to the ground in a clatter. One day away from freedom and telling Calypso how he felt about her. And he was about to die. Percy stared into Thalia's rage filled red eyes and waited for death but it never came. The arrows never flew.

He tore his gaze away from Thalia to see what the problem was. The veteran hunters had returned with grave news, the base was under attack, an army three times larger than the one they faced the day before. It was if the spell was broken right as they spoke. The hunter's eyes all returned to normal, the rage drained from their faces and they turned to Percy, realizing what they had almost done. A few apologized while the others just walked away, the stories told by Artemis and Thalia had given the hunters a begrudging respect for him, and they had just tried to kill him. Because of Phoebe. Almost as one the hunters turned towards her to see the red clad hunter topple onto the ground.

Her sisters started to freak out as they gazed upon the downed huntress and the red feathered dart sticking out of her neck. A few turned towards Percy as he pushed through them to the girl. He reached down and withdrew the dart, his hand slipped into his pocket where he pulled out a wicked looking dagger. The hunters pushed towards him but Thalia was beside him.

"Percy, she's still my sister. I'll punish her, but not like this."

Percy just looked up at her emotionless. He placed the dagger on her neck where the dart had been and pushed in an inch. The hunters surged forwards and Thalia looked at him in sympathy, but he just withdrew the knife and flicked the small pellet onto the ground.

"Poison," he said before tossing the knife at the frozen hunters' feet. "After our little spat here, don't you realize none of us mean you harm?" He asked both disgusted and confused.

The hunters shifted their feet and looked at the floor. Either ashamed or just not willing to attack him in his home for speaking, he didn't know.

His home...HIS HOME!

"Take her! Get to the truck and get out of here now. You need to get to Artemis and warn her about what happened here." He started running towards Nikolai's room, but turned back to Thalia. "Tell Artemis I'm sorry," he said before rushing off.

As he ran he caught Calypso's hand and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for the save," he said as she tucked the blow darts into her pants. "Get your armor on and get Jacob and Tammy. Quickly, we're under attack."

Calypso gave a brief nod and a smile before rushing off to warn the others.

Percy burst into his room and threw on the rest of his combat gear before bolting to Nikolai's room.

"NIK!" He reached for the door as Nikolai hustled out in full battle gear.

"Nikolai says hi," Yargesh said as he took off down the hall.

Yargesh had made it a few feet when a loud click made him stop. He turned back to Percy who stood silently with the dart gun pointed at Nikolai. "Yargesh. Not the girls."

Yargesh gave a feral grin and nodded. "No need, there's plenty of monsters for me to kill. I don't need to destroy them right now."

Percy slowly nodded, though he didn't want to let Yargesh go he didn't have time to stop him. "Go."

Charging off once more Percy cursed his luck and whatever was allowing these monsters to reform so fast. They came to his home, to kill his family, to ruin his happiness. When he found out whoever was behind this, they would pay dearly but for now he needed to lock the base down.


End file.
